The Signs of the Times
September 19, 1892
No Man Putteth New Wine into Old Bottles
“And he spake also a parable unto them: No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith, The old is better.” ST September 19, 1892, par. 1
At the time Jesus uttered this parable, the old typical service was soon to pass away, and the temple courts were to be left desolate. Christ, the great Antitype, both Sacrifice and High Priest, clothed in his own spotless righteousness, was soon to be slain as a lamb without blemish, for the sins of the world. But both his disciples and the disciples of John misapprehended the relation of his teaching to the doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees. The disciples of John had sought to unite the teaching of the reformer with the doctrines held by the Jewish leaders; but the teaching of scribes and Pharisees was fast hastening to decay, and to unite the truth with their jargon of tradition would make confusion worse confounded. ST September 19, 1892, par. 2
The principles presented by Christ, the manner of observing feasts, of praying to God, could not be properly united to the forms and ceremonies of Phariseeism. Instead of closing up the breach that had been made by the teachings of John, the teachings of Christ would make the separation between the old system and the new more distinct, and to attempt to unite the two would only result in making the breach wider. Jesus illustrated this fact, saying, “No man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.” The bottles to which he refers in his illustration were made of skins, and, after once being used as vessels in which to place the new wine, they were worthless to serve the same purpose again. In this familiar illustration Jesus presented the impossibility of making those who are satisfied with a legal religion the depositaries of the living truth of heaven. ST September 19, 1892, par. 3
Those who would not receive the light and grace of Christ, who rejected the truth he came to bring them, were compared to old bottles, to worthless and worn-out garments. Rejecting the truth themselves, they were ever seeking to sow the seed of doubt and questioning in the mind of the disciples, in order that the truth unfolded to them by Christ should not make its impression on heart and spirit. They exalted ceremonies, human exactions, and the commandments of men, as more essential than the teachings of Christ. The difference between the fresh, pure doctrines of heaven and the lifeless teaching of the Pharisees made manifest the fact that the vital truth of God could find no place for expansion in the old religious rites that were ready to vanish away. ST September 19, 1892, par. 4
As a result of intercourse with Christ, the disciples were led to behold the precious gems of truth recovered from systems of error, and reset in the framework of truth. As their minds expanded to comprehend the doctrines of Christ, they saw that the faith which works by love and purifies the soul could find no place for union with the old religion of the Pharisees, which was made up of ceremonies, injunctions, and the traditions of the elders. An effort to unite the teachings of Jesus with the established religion would have shown the utter mistake of such a course. For the new doctrines, like fermenting wine, would have burst the old decaying bottles of the Pharisaical tradition. To the Pharisees the teaching of Jesus was new in almost every respect, was unrecognized and unacknowledged as truth. They professed to have respect for the religion of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. But, although Christ taught the original truths that had been committed to the fathers, his teaching was new to the Pharisees, because they had perverted, and misinterpreted, and burdened down the requirements of God, until the truth had lost its original significance and beauty. ST September 19, 1892, par. 5
The Pharisees opposed the teachings of Jesus with all their force, and Jesus turned from the recognized religious leaders to find in others new bottles for the new wine. In the untutored fisherman, in the publican at the market-place, in the woman of Samaria, in the common people who heard him gladly, he found his new bottles for the new wine. Priests and scribes and rulers were fixed in a rut of ceremonies, observances, and traditions. For long years they had lost their vitality, and their hearts had become contracted, like the old withered, dried-up bottles to which he had compared them; but in the fishermen, the Samaritans, the publicans and sinners, Jesus found hearts that he could impress and make receptacles for his divine truth. ST September 19, 1892, par. 6
God's people must go on from light to a greater light, or they will become, as did the Pharisees, unwilling to receive additional light. They will find themselves in the condition represented by withered, dried-up bottles. In their religious faith they will be unmovable, inflexible, like the withered fig tree dried up by the roots. Those whom Jesus chose for his work were people to whom the world gave little attention; the fishermen, the despised publicans and Samaritans, had no connection with the schools of the scribes and Pharisees; but Christ saw in them the requisite qualifications for the work of God. The Pharisees looked upon his association with publicans and sinners as a matter that merited their condemnation; for it was in marked contrast to their habits, customs, and traditions. But Christ taught his disciples lessons concerning the broad character of his kingdom, which was to be perpetuated through eternal ages. ST September 19, 1892, par. 7
The lessons which Jesus taught in the parables should be carefully studied; they contain instruction for his people in these last days, that we may not make the mistakes which the Jewish nation made in the time of Christ. The gospel was first preached to the Jews; but they felt whole and in no need of a physician. Christ came to minister to the sin-sick soul; for only those will be converted who feel and know that they are sinners. Christ came holding forth precious truth for the acceptance of men, presenting heavenly principles to be woven into the life, bestowing spiritual benefits to be passed on to others. Christ, the consolation of Israel, had come unto his own, but his own received him not. He must find new bottles to contain his new wine. ST September 19, 1892, par. 8
Why could not the old bottles contain the new wine? Why were the lessons of Jesus refused? The life of Christ should have been a constant inspiration. But the scribes and Pharisees refused him, because they allowed pride, ambition, and bigotry to stand in their way. Jesus did not follow the teachings of the schools; he did not copy any living model, nor draw his lessons from any earthly source. His teachings were simplicity itself, so clear that a child could understand them, so deep that the prejudiced Pharisees and priests could not comprehend them. No one but a heavenly teacher could present so lofty a morality in such simple words, making his sayings applicable to the necessities of all. The brightness of the Father's glory was revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. But the old bottles could not contain the precious new wine. The bigoted Pharisees, scribes, and rulers had no preference for the new wine; they were filled with the old, and, until emptied of the old traditions, old customs, old practices, they had no place in mind or heart for the truth of Christ. ST September 19, 1892, par. 9
In the question, “What shall we do that we might work the works of God?” the attitude of scribes and Pharisees is set forth; for the question meant, What shall we do to deserve heaven? Mark the answer of Christ: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent.” The price of heaven is the Messiah. The way to heaven is Christ. “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent. “But the Pharisees scoffed at his doctrine, and the Sadducees derided him. The most precious truth could find no harmony with the false theories and commandments of men. But the common people, who were not filled with the wine of superstition and tradition, heard him gladly. They recognized the heavenly power of his teaching, and were charmed with the new truth concerning his kingdom. Many, many, found the living Bread that came down from heaven, and drank of the living Water. Their hungry souls were satisfied with heavenly manna, and refreshed with the streams of salvation. In their acceptance of his doctrine, they proved the truth of his words, “My sheep know my voice, and they follow me.” ST September 19, 1892, par. 10
Let it not be with us who are living in the last days as it was with the Pharisees. Let it not be said of us, as it was of them, that new wine cannot be put into old bottles. Let not those who have been long in the truth, who have been made the depositaries of the law of God, exalt the ideas and opinions of men above the advancing truth of heaven, lest they be left as old, withered bottles, whose place will be filled by new bottles which the Lord shall select for the new wine. We must be in a position where we shall ever have an appetite for the fresh manna, for the new wine of heaven. ST September 19, 1892, par. 11
Let all beware lest they imitate the example of the Jews, and, fearing they must give up some cherished idea, or discard some idol of opinion, refuse the truth which cometh down from the Father of lights. It was adherence to tradition that proved the ruin of the Jews, and will prove the ruin of many, many souls in every age. Let us fear to become satisfied, with that which we already have acquired, but ever advance with the light, that Jesus may not have to cast us aside as worthless bottles, when he would present to us new truth. ST September 19, 1892, par. 12