The Old and New Wine Bottles - Bible Parables Made Simple Volume 1

The Parable Of:

“The Old and New

Wine Bottles “

( The Importance of Conversion)

The Parable of:

“The Old and New Wine Bottles”

(Matthew 9:17)

17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

We will begin our study of this parable by searching the Bible to see if there are any similar parables which might help us understand this parable.

Using Strong’s Concordance and the word “bottles” we find that in Mark 2: 22 and in Luke 5: 37-39 there are similar parables.

Mark 2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles, else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put in new bottles.

This similar parable uses the word “marred” instead of “perish” when referring to the bottles. This may be of some help to us later as we study the parable in detail.

Luke 5:37-39 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, the old is better.

This similar parable adds the thought that “no one who has drunk old wine immediately (#2112 Straightway) desires the new wine because he thinks the old wine is better”.

This thought may help us later as we study the parable in detail.

Comments:

This parable discusses two types of “wine” (old and new) and two types of “bottles” (old and new) The parable points out that the type of container (bottle) that “wine” is placed in is very important and that the container (bottle) must be new in order to preserve both the “wine” and the “bottle”.

An old “bottle” cannot contain the new “wine”. A new “bottle” must be obtained to contain the new “wine”. Now that we understand the Physical part of the parable, it is time to discover the Spiritual meaning of the parable.

We have already identified the Real Objects in the parable as:

bottles, old bottles, new bottles,

wine, old wine, new wine

Now we need to discover their Spiritual meanings by using the Concordance, or the Bible Word Pictures reference booklet.

We will start by looking up the word “wine”.

Discovering the Spiritual Meaning of: “Wine”

Proverbs 20:1

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

Conclusion: “Wine” represents something that causes someone to be deceived.

Isaiah 28:7

“But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and prophet have erred through strong drink...”

Conclusion: “Wine” represents something that causes someone to err or leave the right way.

Deuteronomy 32:33

“Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.”

Revelation 12: 9

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan which deceived the whole world.”

Conclusion: “Wine” represents something that

Satan uses to deceive people.

Habakkuk 2:5

“Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine.”

Conclusion: “Wine” represents something that

causes a person to transgress or sin.

Final Conclusion: “Old Wine” or “strong drink”

must represent False Doctrine.

Since “Old” Wine represents False Doctrine then,

“New” Wine must represent True Doctrine.

Discovering the Spiritual meaning of: “Bottle”

Psalms 119:53

“For I am become like a bottle”

Jeremiah 19:10

“Then shalt thou break this bottle...

so will I break this people.

Conclusion: “Bottle” represents a person.

Jeremiah 19:1

“Thus saith the Lord, go and get a potters earthen bottle...

Jeremiah 18:3, 4, 6

“Then I went down to the potters house... and the vessel he made of clay was marred... so he made it again another vessel... saith the Lord, behold as the clay is in the potters hand so are ye in mine hand...”

Conclusion: “New” bottle represents a person made “new” by the Lord. A “new” bottle represents a “converted” person.

The “marred” bottle or “old” bottle must then represent an “unconverted” person.

Discovering the Spiritual meaning of: “Drink” or “Eat”

Song of Solomon8:2

“I would lead thee and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct... I would cause thee to drink...

Jeremiah 15:16

“Thy words were found and I did eat them: and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.”

Conclusion: “Drink” or “Eat” means to receive instruction or be taught or gain knowledge.

To summarize the Spiritual meaning of the Real Objects:

Wine represents Doctrine

“Old” Wine represents “False” Doctrine

“New” Wine represents “True” Doctrine

Bottle represents a person

“Old” Bottle represents “unconverted” person

“New” Bottle represents “converted” person

To “Drink” or “Eat” means to be taught or to gain knowledge.

Now we are ready to substitute the Spiritual meaning of these real objects back into the parable and to paraphrase it.

Bible verse: Luke 5:37-39

37 “And no man putteth new wine

into old bottles;

else the new wine

will burst the bottles, and be spilled,

and the bottles shall perish.”

38 “But the new wine must be

put into new bottles;

and both are preserved.”

39 “No man also having drunk old wine

straightway desireth new;

for he saith, the old is better.”

Paraphrase:

37 No man can teach true doctrine (new wine)

to an unconverted person (old bottle):

because the true doctrine (new wine)

will be rejected (burst) by the person (bottle)

and the person (bottle) will be lost (perish).

38 But true doctrine (new wine) must be

taught to converted people (new bottles);

and both the doctrine and the person will be saved.

39 No man having been taught (drunk)

false doctrine (old wine)

immediately desires true doctrine (new wine):

for he thinks the false doctrine (old wine) is better.

Conclusions:

When we first looked at the parable we concluded that the “type of container” that the “wine” was put in was very important. The container (“bottle”) had to be new in order to preserve or retain “new wine”.

Now we know that the parable is telling us that a person (bottle) has to be converted (new bottle) in order to accept True Doctrine (new wine).

An unconverted person (old bottle) will be satisfied with false doctrine (old wine) because he thinks that is better for him.

An unconverted person’s life is focused on pleasing himself.

A converted person’s life is focused on pleasing Jesus.

Conversion changes the focus of the life!

A converted person is willing to follow Jesus no matter what the consequences to himself!

Following True Doctrine will put a person out of step with the world and an unconverted person will not be willing to do that! The “testing Truths” or True Doctrines are designed by God to determine who really loves Him and to “weed out” the unconverted who love themselves more than God.

Jesus made it very clear that unless a person was converted (born again), they could not be part of His kingdom.

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.

This parable brings out how important conversion is!

It is easy to determine if you are converted! Are you willing to do anything for Jesus? Are you willing to give up anything He asks you to? Would your job come before Jesus? Is your family more important to you than following Jesus? Is money more important to you than Jesus? Would you be willing to follow Jesus even if it cost you your friends? Remember, a converted person is willing to follow Jesus no matter what the consequences to himself! Jesus gave up everything for you!

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Are you willing to give up everything for Him?

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple.”

Remember, that God LOVES YOU and NEVER asks you to “give up” anything that is not in your best interest! The “trinkets” and “tinsel” that this world has to offer cannot compare to what Heaven and Eternal Life can offer!

If you know in your heart that you are not converted, but you want to be converted, you can be “born again”!

All that God asks is that you be willing to put Him first in your life. Do you Love Him enough to be willing to do that? If you do, then bow your head and pray this simple prayer and God will give you conversion of heart and you will be born again!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I can’t understand how you could ever love me, but I believe that you died for me so that I could be forgiven for all my sins. Please forgive me and come into my heart and change me completely! Help me to be willing to follow you completely. Thank you for hearing my prayer.

In Jesus' precious name, Amen

Doctrinal Truth (Taught by Jesus in the Parable of

“The Old and New Wine Bottles”)

1. Spiritual “Wine” represents Doctrine.

Old wine represents False Doctrine.

New wine represents True Doctrine.

2. A Spiritual “Bottle” represents a Person.

Old bottle represents an unconverted person.

New bottle represents a converted person.

3. The main teaching of the parable is:

A person (bottle) must be converted (new bottle)

before they will accept True Doctrine (new wine).

4. An unconverted person will reject the “Truth” (True Doctrine) and the person will be lost.

5. An unconverted person’s life is focused on pleasing himself.

6. A converted person’s life is focused on pleasing

Jesus.

7. Conversion changes the focus of the life!

8. A converted person is willing to follow Jesus no

matter what the consequences to himself!

9. True Doctrine is designed by God to determine who

really loves Him and to “weed out” the unconverted who love themselves more than God.

10. Jesus gave up everything for us and He expects us to

be willing to give up everything for Him.

11. Jesus will never ask us to “give up” anything

that is not in our best interest!

12. We must put Jesus before family, friends, our job,

money or anything else!

13. The “tinsel” and “trinkets” of this world and the love of friends or family cannot be compared to the love of God and the joys of Heaven and Eternal Life.

14. We must be converted or “born again” in order to be part of the kingdom of heaven.