John Calvin Commentary Matthew 9:16

"And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made." — Matthew 9:16 (ASV)

And no man putteth a piece of fresh cloth. He supports the preceding statement with two comparisons, one of which is taken from garments, and the other from vessels of wine.

Those who think that he compares worn-out garments and decayed bottles to the Pharisees, and new wine and fresh cloth to the doctrine of the gospel, offer an interpretation that lacks probability. The comparison is beautifully suited to the subject at hand if we understand it as referring to Christ's weak and tender disciples and to a discipline more strict than they were able to bear.

It is of no consequence that the idea of being old does not align with disciples who were only beginning; for when Christ compares his disciples to old bottles and torn garments, he does not mean that they were worn out by long use, but that they were weak and lacked strength.

The essence of the statement is that not all must be indiscriminately compelled to live in the same manner, for there is a diversity of natural character, and not all things are suitable for all people. Particularly, we should spare the weak, so that they are not broken by harshness or crushed by the weight of the burden.

Our Lord speaks according to the custom of the country when he uses the word bottles instead of tuns or casks.⁵²⁵

⁵²⁵ “Au reste, le mot Grec dont use l'Evangeliste signifie proprement des vaisseaux faits de cuir, desquels on usoit pour mettre le vin: comme au- jourdhui nous avons des muids ou des pipes.” — “Besides, the Greek word, which the Evangelist employs, literally signifies vessels made of leather, which were used for containing wine: as in the present day we .” — “Besides, the Greek word, which the Evangelist employs, literally signifies vessels made of leather, which were used for containing wine: as in the present day we have hogsheads or or butts ”