Be Still And Know

Matthew 9.17 NLT Jesus said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.” Glass bottles did exist in Jesus’ day but it was usual for wine to be stored in skins. When new wine is stored, it is still fermenting and so it is essential that the skin has a degree of elasticity. However, as that skin gets older it becomes hard and brittle with the result that it becomes useless for new wine. Without any doubt the old skin would burst and the wine would be lost. The point that Jesus was making would have been very clear to his hearers. He was saying that it would be useless to try to put the Good News of the Kingdom that he came to bring, into the old laws and ceremonies of the Jewish faith. That could only result in disaster. What was needed was a complete change. The new wine of the Kingdom would need to be poured into brand new wineskins. All change meets resi