Is old wine superior to new wine?

[Robert_Sock]

37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, ‘The old is good.’"
-Luke 5:37-39

Can this be interpreted as meaning that the Jews and the Old Testament are superior to the gentiles and the New Testament? Can anyone convey why verse 39 was added to this parable in Luke’s Gospel? It’s a most powerful verse form a Jewish perspective and I personally hold the Jews in high esteem! I also personally expect to see many of my Jewish friends in the Hereafter.

 

[SonCatcher]

The NAB footnote says the following:

The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new.

Think about if you had been drinking imported Italian wines at $50/bottle.

Would you even consider sampling Two Buck Chuck?

 

[R_C]

Can this be interpreted as meaning that the Jews and the Old Testament are superior to the gentiles and the New Testament?

What? No.

Remember the first miracle of the Lord. The master of ceremonies calls the bridegroom aside and tells him:

Every man at first sets forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.

That seems to reverse the argument.

However, ultimately, though, there is no “superiority” of the one above the other

These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. …] I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.

Christ here was referring to a very natural fact: that when we “put on the new man”, a taste of the old man can easily draw us back, because the new life involves sacrifice and self-mastery, while the sinful life, so to speak, “tastes good” (which is why we renounce to Satan’s “pomps”, that is, to something that is enticing and that appears to be magnificent to the extent of shifting us away from God.

 

[George_Stegmeir]

Apart from any religious meaning, what Christ was saying was based on common knowledge in the Palestine of His time.
Wine, at that time was the common beveredge of that time because of wide spread water pollution. Much of the wine that was drunk was not so much as the wine that we know today. It was more like fermented fruit juice, and was usually diluted with water to drink. It had very little alcohol content. However, the wine drunk on special ocassions such as weddings and the Seder, were full strength, much like the wines of today.
The reference in the saying means young, partially fermented wine. Then, as today drinking wine that is still fermenting from a wine skin can and will make you ill. It usually will put you in the bathroom for an extended period of time!

 

[ahs]

The NAB footnote says the following:

The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new.

Think about if you had been drinking imported Italian wines at $50/bottle.

Would you even consider sampling Two Buck Chuck?

What? No.

Remember the first miracle of the Lord. The master of ceremonies calls the bridegroom aside and tells him:

That seems to reverse the argument.

However, ultimately, though, there is no “superiority” of the one above the other

Christ here was referring to a very natural fact: that when we “put on the new man”, a taste of the old man can easily draw us back, because the new life involves sacrifice and self-mastery, while the sinful life, so to speak, “tastes good” (which is why we renounce to Satan’s “pomps”, that is, to something that is enticing and that appears to be magnificent to the extent of shifting us away from God.

Think in terms of the religion. The Jews had their religious customs, beliefs, laws, etc…and a promise. They had a “good wine”. When Christ came, He brought this “good wine” to fulfillment…made it “new wine” which is a fulfillment of the old. But to those who were satisfied with the “old wine” because it was good…good enough for them…they were hesitant to try this “new” and fulfilled version of it…because there is a level of uncertainty about it, among other things.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Oh how I would love seeing into the minds of Ultra Orthodox Jews!

 

[ahs]

Think about if you had been drinking imported Italian wines at $50/bottle.

Would you even consider sampling Two Buck Chuck?

By the way…I am a big fan of Two Buck Chuck…except locally we’ve had to rename it to Three Buck Chuck…but it is still wonderful!

 

[chimo]

37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, ‘The old is good.’"
-Luke 5:37-39

Can this be interpreted as meaning that the Jews and the Old Testament are superior to the gentiles and the New Testament? Can anyone convey why verse 39 was added to this parable in Luke’s Gospel? It’s a most powerful verse form a Jewish perspective and I personally hold the Jews in high esteem! I also personally expect to see many of my Jewish friends in the Hereafter.

I read somewhere that the new wineskins are our young people and the new wine is the message of the Good News packaged in a way that benefits them. The message is always the same but the approach to deliver this message can always change, be renewed and brought to a language that befits our younger generation. When people get older the message delivered to them when they were younger tends to remain in them as the same. Yet when someone delivers the same message with a different approach so as to better attract these younger ones than these older ones might not understand its approach.

Our Lord confirms that when He said some prefer the old. The Old Testament was good. When our Lord brought out its meaning many went against Him. These same people brought up with the OT could not grasp and understand the Lord’s approach in bringing new light regarding the OT. Some did but many did not. And it was surprisingly it was by these same older adults that could not grasp it and actually went against it. The younger people may have received the Lord’s message with more excitement and joy. That is why in every proceeding generation the Church must find ways to renew and package its message towards a newer and younger generation befitting it. The wine must be new since the generation especially its younger ones are new.

 

[DaveBj]

It’s a metaphor. It’s not meant to get up and walk around on all fours.

(That’s twice today that I’ve used that expression. Time to retire it for a few months.)

 

[SonCatcher]

By the way…I am a big fan of Two Buck Chuck…except locally we’ve had to rename it to Three Buck Chuck…but it is still wonderful!

As am I. I find it to usually be the equal or even superior to various more expensive wines.

I know the price has climbed, but find that “two buck” still rolls off the lips better (“the old is better” )

 

[Robert_Sock]

As am I. I find it to usually be the equal or even superior to various more expensive wines.

I know the price has climbed, but find that “two buck” still rolls off the lips better (“the old is better” )

Please stay on topic.

 

[JLM28]

Please stay on topic.

yes