Why ‘Unshrunk Cloth Cannot Be Used to Patch an Old Garment VS New Wine Cannot Be Put into Old Wineskin’

 

Why ‘Unshrunk Cloth Cannot Be Used to Patch an Old Garment VS New Wine Cannot Be Put into Old Wineskin’

 

Matthew 9:16 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse."

Matthew 9:17 "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

 

Aspect	Unshrunk Cloth Cannot Be Used to Patch an Old Garment	New Wine Cannot Be Put into Old Wineskins
Reason	Unshrunk cloth will shrink and tear the old garment	New wine fermenting  will burst old wineskins
Symbolism	Unshrunk cloth: Christ from incarnation to before crucifixion New garment: Christ after crucifixion Old garment: Man's behavior based on old natural life	New wine: Christ as invigorating new life Old wineskins: Various religions New wineskins: Church life of local churches
Explanation	People shouldn't try to imitate  Christ's earthly life while ignoring His redemption and resurrection	Christ's new life shouldn't be confined within old religious forms
Example	Trying to gain salvation by imitating Jesus' actions rather than believing in His redemption	Viewing Christ's teachings merely as new religious rules or rituals
Application	Accept the crucified and resurrected Christ as new garment, as righteousness before God	Experience Christ as new wine in church life and become new wineskins containing Christ
Related Scriptures	Luke 5:36 "He told them this parable: 'No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.'" Luke 15:22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.'" Galatians 3:27 "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." 1 Corinthians 1:30 "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." Revelation 19:8 "Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)" Jeremiah 2:32 "Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number."	Judges 9:12-13 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.' But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'" Galatians 1:14-16a "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles..." 1 Corinthians 12:12 "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ." Acts 9:5 "'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied." 1 Corinthians 1:10,13a "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ... Is Christ divided?"

 

This table providing a comprehensive comparison of the two parables and their related scriptures.

 

*Please refer to the 2024 Summer Live Training - Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1) Message One: Christ as the Great Light, the One with Authority, the Physician, the Bridegroom, the Unfulled Cloth, and the New Wine