Jesus answers the criticism of the Pharisees with an image. He speaks of new wine in new wine skins. Jesus in Luke 5:33-39 is defending his disciples by explaining the state of their spiritual development. The encounter Jesus has with the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law takes place at the beginning of his ministry, soon after he calls his disciples. These common men are new to the religious scene. They are new to the power of the Holy Spirit which they are being immersed in because of their close proximity to Jesus. They live with Jesus; walk with him daily and studying under him. Every day they receive powerful teaching and witness the miraculous. As a result their eyes are being opened to new spiritual realities including who Jesus really is. It is a powerful and exciting time for the disciples. In a very real sense they are new believers and are being used by God like never before. As they walk alongside Jesus they are also learning to walk in the power of God. The Pharisees and the Teacher’s of the Law do not comprehend the work that is being done within these simple men, so they criticize them saying, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do or like the disciples of John the Baptist?”
Jesus uses two word pictures to answer them. He wants to emphasize the fact that his Heavenly Father wants to do something completely new. He explains that it isn’t appropriate to sew a new patch on an old garment, nor do you put new wine into old wine skins. The appropriate container for new wine is new wine skins. Jesus is stating the obvious and making the point that you don’t expect someone fresh in their walk with the Lord to have the outer discipline of the faith. Jesus is not condemning fasting and praying. He is just saying for the time and the season they are in it is in inappropriate. The time for fasting and prayer will come. Maturity will come and the product of maturity will be judged like aged wine, as being better; a wine with a smooth more satisfying taste.
The personal application for my life is clear; this is a new time and season in my life. It is a time of refreshment and an anointing of the Spirit like I have never experience before. My old life has fallen away. I need to let it go and embrace the new thing God is doing. I am unfamiliar with this walk. I am new to the working of the Spirit and the teachings in light of the work. I have a deep conviction that I am not to rely on what I know, but to learn anew. I am not supposed to try to fit this new life into my old life. My frame of reference based on past experience has to go. I can’t judge what he is doing now by the standard of the past. If I want to fully enter where the Spirit is leading me I must let go. With no expectations I wait so He can give me the best He has for me.
Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19
