OET interlinear LUKE 5:36

Section 5:33–39: Jesus explained why his disciples did not fast

In this section, some people made a comment to Jesus about fasting. Their comment implied that they were criticizing the disciples. It also implied the question, “Why do your disciples act differently from the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees?” Jesus explained the difference in their actions. In his explanation, he compared himself to a bridegroom, and he compared his disciples to wedding guests. The disciples could not fast while he was with them, just as wedding guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them.

After he had explained this different attitude towards fasting, he told them that he was teaching a new way to live for God. His new way would not fit into the old traditions. To illustrate this, Jesus used three comparisons:

1. He compared the old traditional ways to an old garment. He compared his new way to cloth taken from a new garment. No one would sew the new cloth onto an old garment.

2. He compared the old traditional ways to old wineskins. He compared his new way to new wine. When new wine is put into old wineskins, both are ruined.

3. Jesus concluded with a saying that rebuked those who wanted to keep to the old traditions. Jesus said that people who had drunk old wine did not want to drink new wine. He was really talking about people who were content with the old ways and teaching of the Jewish religion. He said that they were unwilling to consider the new ways and teaching that he had brought.

This section can be difficult for people to understand because Jesus used comparisons to illustrate what he was teaching. He did not make what he was teaching explicit. If you need to make the meaning clearer, you should explain it in a footnote.

In this section, there are some ideas that may not be familiar in certain cultures. For example:

1. fasting

2. Jewish wedding customs about bridegrooms

3. sewing patches onto cloth

4. new wine and old wine

5. wineskins

Consider carefully how to translate each of these ideas in a meaningful way in your language. The notes for this section will give suggestions.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Jesus taught that his new way was different from Jewish traditions

Jesus’ new way and the old ways

This story also occurs in Matthew 9:14–17 and Mark 2:18–22.

Paragraph 5:36–39

In this paragraph, Jesus used three short parables to explain that he was teaching a new way to live for God. His new way would not fit into the old traditions. People could not combine the old ways with the new. Each of the three parables is introduced with a general statement that is true of everyone.

He also told them a parable:

• ¶ Jesus told this parable/illustration to them:

• ¶ Jesus made this comparison:

“No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one.

• “People do not tear a piece of cloth from a new garment in order to sew it onto an old garment.

• “You^{(sing or plur)} do not tear/cut a piece of cloth from new clothing and attach it to old clothing to mend it.

If he does, he will tear the new garment as well,

• If they did, they would tear the new garment,

• The results/consequences of doing such a thing would be that the new clothing would be ruined,

and the patch from the new will not match the old.

• and the piece from the new garment would not match the old garment.

• and also that the piece/patch taken from the new clothing would not be the same as the old clothing.

General Comment on 5:36a–d

You may want to add a footnote to explain some of the meaning of Jesus’ parable. Some sample footnotes are:

Jesus gave them this illustration to show what happens if his teaching is mixed with old traditions.

Jesus compared his teaching to a new garment. He compared the traditions of the Jews to an old garment. No one uses a piece of cloth torn from a new garment to patch an old garment. In the same way, people should not simply add his teaching to their old ways of life. His new way would not fit into the old traditions.