TODAY’S WORD: Understanding Jesus’ Metaphors in Luke 5

HIGH FIVE!

Luke 5:33-39 is an intriguing passage where Jesus uses the metaphors of new cloth and new wine to address questions about fasting and the new ways of the Kingdom of God. Here’s a deeper look at its significance:

Context

In this passage, Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees and scribes about why His disciples do not fast like the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees.

Jesus’ Response

1. Bridegroom Metaphor: Jesus compares His presence to a wedding feast, where He is the bridegroom, and His disciples are the guests. He implies that it is inappropriate to fast and mourn while He, the bridegroom, is with them. However, He acknowledges that there will come a time when He will be taken away, and then fasting will be appropriate.
2. Parable of New and Old:
   • New Cloth on an Old Garment: Jesus says that no one tears a piece from a new garment to patch an old one. If they do, the new garment will be ruined, and the patch won’t match the old garment. This illustrates that the new ways of His teachings cannot be simply patched onto the old religious practices.
   • New Wine in Old Wineskins: Similarly, He states that no one pours new wine into old wineskins because the new wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. New wine must be put into fresh wineskins. This signifies that the transformative message of Jesus needs new structures and forms.

Significance

• Transformation and Renewal: The passage emphasizes that Jesus’ teachings and the new covenant He brings require a transformation and renewal that cannot be contained within the old ways of thinking and practices.
• Kingdom of God: Jesus is illustrating that the Kingdom of God He is ushering in is fundamentally different from the old religious systems. It’s a call to embrace the new life and spiritual renewal He offers.
• Fasting and Joy: The reference to the bridegroom highlights that the appropriate response to Jesus’ presence is one of joy and celebration. Fasting, in this context, is not fitting while He is present but will be meaningful in the future when He is no longer physically with them.

This passage underscores the radical and transformative nature of Jesus’ ministry and the need for openness to the new ways He introduces. It invites believers to embrace the new life and teachings He offers with open hearts and minds.

WANT TO GO TO CHURCH WITH ME??? (I’m going this morning… man… LOVE)

THANKS BE TO GOD!!!