New Wine in New Bottles - Mark 2:22

Mark shared how Jesus said, “No man also sows a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-two of his book, Mark shares how Jesus added, “new wine must be put into new bottles” where we read:

And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine does burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

The verse reads, “And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine does burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred:” Mark began with the words, “and no man puts new wine” which means “and no human being whether male or female pours fresh fiery wine” “into old bottles” or “into ancient, no longer new, worn by use and the worse for wear leather bags or bottles in which water or wine was kept”: “else the new wine” which means “lest the fresh fiery wine” “does burst the bottles” or “rends, tears and breaks the leather bags or bottles in which the wine is kept”, “and the wine is spilled” which means “and the fresh fiery wine is poured, shed forth and distributed largely”, “and the bottles” or “and the leather bags or bottles in which the wine is kept” “will be marred” which means “will be destroyed, put out of the way entirely, abolished and put to ruin”. Mark shared how Jesus referred to how “new wine” is poured into “fresh and pliable” “leather bottles” because putting the “new wine” into “worn bottles” would not only “burst” the leather bags and make them useless but also waste all the “new wine”.

The verse continues, “but new wine must be put into new bottles.” Mark added the words, “but the new wine” which means “nevertheless, nonetheless, moreover and the fresh fiery wine” “must be put in” which means “has to be poured into” “new bottles” or “recently made, fresh, unused and unworn leather bags or bottles in which water or wine is kept”. Mark shared how “fresh wine” must be poured into “fresh and pliable” leather bags.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus referred to both “new” and “old” wine in His illustration. Wine ferments after it is freshly made, and because of the upheaval of the gases it releases, if it is poured into “old wineskins”, the pressure will break the bags, the wine will be spilled, and the bag will be ruined. When God pours out His spirit, He desires to pour it into people who are “fresh and pliable”, and this often becomes a great deal of the problem within His church. God desires to have a relationship with every person, and He performs in different ways and methods through His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit. Those who are wise will ask Him to make them “fresh and new” as well as “ready and willing” to receive His “fresh fiery wine”, and they should never “spill” nor “burst” because they are “no longer new, worn by use and the worse for wear leather bags”.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus and His disciples, “went through the corn fields on the sabbath day”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".