November 28, 2022

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven . . .” Matthew 5:43-45a

These words of Jesus were a call to clear up the misunderstandings that had been taught by those with religious authority. Our Lord made numerous “You have heard . . . but I say . . .” statements. This is not because He was “changing His mind” but because the original doctrines had lost their original meanings. They had been mishandled, and Jesus came to set the record straight.

For the religious setting of the day, this was the equivalent of God’s earlier calls to come out of the surrounding culture. Through additions, deletions, and shallow comprehensions of the written word, the doctrines had been twisted and altered; in a word, corrupted. This resulted in false teachings regarding the character of God, causing many to reject Him. Others, in accepting the misguided teachings that had multiplied into systemic errors over time, were not serving God at all, but in actuality were serving the devil (see the words of Jesus in John 8:38-44).

Wine is used as an apt metaphor for Biblical teachings, i.e. doctrines. It is a particularly good one because new wine, freshly squeezed from grapes, is pure and uncorrupted (what we now call grape juice). The ancient, original doctrines of Almighty God are like fresh, new wine. Pure. Uncorrupted.

When new wine becomes fermented—or corrupted—it has a toxic effect when it is ‘swallowed.’ It is unfortunate that our modern understanding of the word is that all wine is alcoholic wine. Studying the Biblical use of the word, whether literal drink or metaphor for doctrines, therefore requires discernment as to its condition; new or old; pure or corrupted.

If doctrines are wine, then our hearts and minds are wineskins. Isn’t it great to know that the Lord can give us new hearts and renew our minds if we will but ask Him? It was with confidence and authority that Jesus taught fresh, pure doctrine just as it was originally meant to be understood. His word is pure and powerful; it will not pass away. And, best of all, it has the supernatural power to preserve each of us for eternity!

“…no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Luke 5:36-38