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.
What does Luke 5:37 mean?
It was a wonder of Christ's grace, that he would call a publican to be his disciple and follower. It was a wonder of his grace, that the call was made so effectual.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Luke 5:36-39 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Luke 5:37
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles,.... To which the Scribes and Pharisees are here compared, into whose hearts the new wine of Gospel grace was not put; or to whom was not made known the love of God Comparable to new wine; nor the blessings of the new covenant of grace, now exhibited; nor the truths of the Gospel now more clearly and newly revealed. Else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled; they not being able to receive and bear these things, no, not the relation of them: these were hard sayings to them, of which they said, who can hear them?
Key words
- putteth
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And no man putteth new wine into old bottles,.
- bottles
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And no man putteth new wine into old bottles,.
- bottles
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And no man putteth new wine into old bottles,.
Context in Luke 5
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Luke 5 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as infancy narratives and preparation. Luke emphasizes salvation for the poor and the outsider, prayer, joy, women, table fellowship, the Holy Spirit, and the universal reach of Christ’s mission. Read this chapter with the wider themes of salvation, Spirit, and prayer in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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