Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 9:17

"Neither do [men] put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved." — Matthew 9:17 (ASV)

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles. The “bottles” mentioned here are wineskins made from animal hides, which were partially tanned and largely retained the shape of the animal. As these wineskins grew old and dry, they became brittle and liable to crack, unable to withstand the pressure of fermenting wine. If this mistake were made, the wineskins would be ruined and the wine spilled.

When we interpret the parable, we see at once that the “new wine” represents the inner aspect of the Christian life—the new energies and gifts of the Spirit—just as the garment represented the outer aspect. On the day of Pentecost, these gifts were compared to new wine (Acts 2:13). In dealing with people, our Lord did not bestow these gifts suddenly, even on His own disciples, any more than He imposed rules of life for which they were not ready.

Just as the actions of organized churches have too often repeated the mistake of sewing a new patch on an old garment, so the actions of enthusiastic or mystic sects have repeated the mistake of pouring new wine into old wineskins. We see this in the history of Montanism, in the earlier stages of Quakerism, and in the growth of the so-called Catholic and Apostolic Church, which originated with Edward Irving. In both instances, our Lord's teaching points to gradual training: speaking the truth as people are able to bear it and reserving many truths because they cannot bear them now.

St. Luke adds, as he did before, a new aspect to the illustration: No man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. See the note on Luke 5:39.