“A New Era”

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Please explain Mathew 9:16.

Sincerely,
Seamstress

Dear Seamstress,

Jesus used the analogy of new wine being put into old wineskins and unshrunk cloth on a pre-shrunk garment to illustrate the fact that He was ushering in a new era – the Christian era.  New wine is unfermented grape juice, which would cause the old, worn out wineskin to burst when the new wine began to ferment.  The Jews wanted to keep their old ways of life, and Jesus told them that if they accepted His teachings, their old lives wouldn’t work anymore.  The whole conversation began when John’s disciples asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast, even though they and the Pharisees did (Matt 9:14).  Jesus explained that He, the great Savior and bridegroom of Israel, had come… the old days were over, and a new era had begun (Matt 9:15).

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