Luke 5:33-39 · Bible study
Luke 5:33-39 Commentary: The New Wine of the Kingdom
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus responds to questions about fasting with the bridegroom image and parables of new wine, revealing the incompatibility of the new covenant with old forms.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus defends his disciples' feasting by declaring his presence a time of joy, and warns that the new covenant cannot fit into old religious structures.
- Key words: νηστεύω (fast), νυμφίος (bridegroom), νέος/καινός (new, fresh), παλαιός (old), βλητέον (must be put), χρηστός (good, pleasant).
- Main debate: The sense of verse 39: a neutral observation, a mild rebuke, or a concession to human conservatism?
- Theological theme: The inauguration of the new covenant in Christ creates a new era that cannot be harmonized with the old order; joy in Christ's presence and appropriate seasons of fasting.
- Best use: Teaching on the relationship between law and gospel, the appropriateness of spiritual disciplines, and the need for renewal in the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
33Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.”
34Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?
35But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
36He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old.
37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined.
38Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.
39And no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
33They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”
34He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.”
36He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.
37No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled and the skins will be destroyed.
38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.
39No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
33And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
33And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.
34And Jesus said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.
36And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.
37And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish.
38But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins.
39And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
33And they said unto him, `Wherefore do the disciples of John fast often, and make supplications--in like manner also those of the Pharisees--but thine do eat and drink?'
34And he said unto them, `Are ye able to make the sons of the bride-chamber--in the bridegroom being with them--to fast?
35but days will come, and, when the bridegroom may be taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.'
36And he spake also a simile unto them--`No one a patch of new clothing doth put on old clothing, and if otherwise, the new also doth make a rent, and with the old the patch doth not agree, that is from the new.
37`And no one doth put new wine into old skins, and if otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed;
38but new wine into new skins is to be put, and both are preserved together;
39and no one having drunk old wine , doth immediately wish new, for he saith, The old is better.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
33And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make supplications, in like manner those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink?
34And he said to them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast when the bridegroom is with them?
35But days will come when also the bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then shall they fast in those days.
36And he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old.
37And no one puts new wine into old skins, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed;
38but new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved.
39And no one having drunk old wine [straightway] wishes for new, for he says, The old is better.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
33And they said to him: Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees in like manner; but thine eat and drink?
34To whom he said: Can you make the children of the bridegroom fast whilst the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them: then shall they fast in those days.
36And he spoke also a similitude to them: That no man putteth a piece from a new garment upon an old garment: otherwise he both rendeth the new, and the piece taken from the new agreeth not with the old.
37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: otherwise the new wine will break the bottles; and it will be spilled and the bottles will be lost.
38But new wine must be put into new bottles: and both are preserved.
39And no man drinking old hath presently a mind to new: for he saith: The old is better.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 5:33
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Jesus' answer to the fasting question hinges on the unique season of his earthly ministry. The bridegroom metaphor, drawn from John the Baptist's own words (John 3:29), identifies Jesus as the messianic bridegroom whose presence turns the occasion into a wedding feast. As Wesley notes, “it is not proper to make men fast and mourn during a festival solemnity.” The days when the bridegroom is taken away, the verb aparthē hints at a violent removal (Cambridge Bible), point toward the crucifixion, after which the disciples will fast. The parables that follow reinforce a single point: the new covenant cannot be confined within old religious structures. Gill interprets the patch and wineskins as representing the incompatibility of the new gospel with the old legal righteousness. On verse 39, Calvin sees a warning against the undue influence of custom, while Barnes suggests that once people have tasted the mild wine of the gospel, they have no appetite for the sour wine of mere ceremonial observance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Observational view: Verse 39 simply states a fact about human preference; Jesus is not critiquing but acknowledging psychological reality.
- Warning view: Jesus warns against stubborn adherence to old ways that prevents receiving the new; the parable of wineskins already implies incompatibility, and v39 reinforces it as a critique.
- Concession view: Jesus acknowledges that old ways have genuine value, making change difficult; he shows patience toward those who cannot immediately embrace the new.
What is clear: The presence of Jesus inaugurates a new era that cannot be harmonized with the old order; the parables of cloth and wineskins illustrate the incompatibility of the new covenant with the old religious structures.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The practice of fasting in the Christian life | Christians across traditions agree that fasting is a legitimate spiritual discipline, with roots in biblical and early church practice. | Some traditions see regular fasting as normative (e.g., Catholic and Orthodox Lenten fasts), while others view it as voluntary or occasional (many Protestant traditions). The passage's emphasis on the bridegroom's presence raises questions about the appropriate times for fasting. |
| Interpretation of 'the old is better' | The saying reflects a universal human tendency to prefer what is familiar. | Some commentators read it as a neutral observation about human nature, others as a mild rebuke of stubborn religious traditionalism, and still others as a positive affirmation of the value of the old covenant (Barnes, Calvin). |
| The identity of the bridegroom | Jesus is the bridegroom in the metaphor, fulfilling the Old Testament image of God as Israel's bridegroom and pointing to the messianic wedding feast. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions develop the bridegroom imagery into ecclesiology (Christ as bridegroom of the Church), while Protestant traditions often focus on the individual soul's union with Christ. |
| The application of the wineskin parable | New wine represents the gospel or new covenant; old wineskins represent the old covenant or old religious systems. | Some apply this to church liturgy and structures, arguing for substantial reform. Others apply it primarily to individual hearts, emphasizing the need for inner renewal to receive the gospel. |
| The timing of the disciples' future fasting | Jesus predicts that after his death, his disciples will fast. | Some see this as referring specifically to the three days between crucifixion and resurrection; others as anticipating the entire church age, during which fasting is practiced in anticipation of Christ's return. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The question in verse 33 arises from a specific social context. Fasting was a prominent religious practice in first-century Judaism. Pharisees fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (Luke 18:12), often as a public display of piety. John the Baptist's disciples inherited his ascetic lifestyle, which included frequent fasting and set prayers. The word pukna, "often", literally means "close-packed" (Vincent), indicating a regular, scheduled discipline. By contrast, Jesus and his disciples were eating and drinking at a feast hosted by the newly called tax collector Levi (Luke 5:29). The murmuring scribes and Pharisees saw this as a breach of religious decorum.
Jesus' response draws on the imagery of a Jewish wedding. The “sons of the bridechamber” were the groom's closest friends, who attended the week-long wedding festivities. During that time, fasting was unthinkable, even forbidden. By applying this image to himself, Jesus implies that his presence among the disciples constitutes a wedding celebration. The prophecy of the bridegroom being taken away uses the verb apairō (to lift off or carry away), which occurs only here in the New Testament and suggests a violent removal (Cambridge Bible). This is the earliest recorded public hint of Jesus' coming death.
The two parables, the garment patch and the wineskins, draw on everyday experience. Old wineskins, made from goat hide, had been stretched to their limit and become brittle. New wine, still fermenting, would cause them to burst. The point is stark: the old forms of Judaism cannot contain the dynamic new work of God in Christ. The final verse, unique to Luke, adds a realistic touch. As Calvin says, custom and habit form our taste, so people naturally prefer what is familiar. Jesus acknowledges this human tendency without endorsing it. The passage as a whole is set at a banquet, which is why the parables come from clothing and wine (Bengel, cited by Vincent).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants that alter the meaning of the passage as a whole. In verse 35, the best Greek manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) include the conjunction kai after hēmerai, giving a broken construction: “the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away” (so the Revised Version). The Byzantine text omits it. In verse 39, most critical texts read chrēstos (“good”) rather than the comparative chrēstoteros (“better”), though the comparative is found in some later manuscripts. The sense remains essentially the same: old wine is judged good, and people naturally prefer it.
Reception History
This passage has been read across Christian traditions as foundational for understanding the newness of the gospel. Early church writers, including Irenaeus and Tertullian, used the wineskin imagery to argue that the gospel cannot be contained within the law of Moses. In the medieval period, the passage was often cited in discussions of fasting and feast days. During the Reformation, Calvin appealed to it to justify the rejection of certain church traditions that he saw as old wineskins unable to hold the fresh wine of grace. In modern evangelical contexts, the parable is frequently applied to questions of church renewal, warning that systems and methods can become rigid and obsolete. The final verse has been seen as both a realistic acknowledgment of human conservatism and a challenge to examine our reluctance to embrace God's new work. The imagery of wineskins still resonates in cultures where wine is stored in skins, giving the passage enduring concrete power.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Christ's presence brings joy, not mourning. The bridegroom image shows that fasting is inappropriate during the wedding feast. Jesus proclaims the kingdom as good news, and his disciples live in the reality of that joy.
- New life demands new forms. The parables of the patch and wineskins teach that the gospel cannot be stitched onto or contained within the old system. The new covenant is not a renovation; it is a fresh start.
- Human attachment to the old is real but must be surrendered. Verse 39 describes the natural preference for the familiar. Jesus does not condemn it, but the call of the gospel is to release the old in order to receive the new.
Five-point outline
- The controversy (v33): Why do your disciples feast while others fast?
- The season (v34): The bridegroom is present, it is time for celebration.
- The coming trial (v35): When the bridegroom is taken, then they will fast.
- The incompatibility (v36-38): Old structures cannot contain new life.
- The human factor (v39): People prefer the old; Jesus sees this and calls them beyond it.
Illustration hooks
- Software upgrades: Trying to run a modern operating system on old hardware leads to crashes. The gospel is not a patch for the old life; it is a new system entirely.
- Renovation vs. rebuild: Sometimes a house is beyond patching; only demolition and rebuilding will work. Jesus speaks of God's work as a new creation, not a repair.
- A lifelong habit: A person who has always drunk a familiar brand of coffee finds it hard to switch, even when the new one is objectively better. That is the human resistance Jesus calls out in verse 39.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does Jesus ever approve of fasting? Why did the early church fast if Jesus said not to?
- How do we know when a church practice is a precious tradition worth keeping or an old wineskin that needs to be replaced?
- Is my preference for the old ways a sign of faithfulness or a barrier to the new thing God is doing?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a question about timing and fit. The Pharisees and John's disciples assumed that all devout people should fast regularly. Jesus turned the question on its head by pointing to the Bridegroom's presence and the incompatibility of old and new. As you discuss, pay attention to what the text says about joy, loss, and transformation.
Discussion questions
- What does the question in verse 33 reveal about the expectations of the Pharisees and John's disciples? Why did they see fasting as a mark of true religion?
- How does Jesus' use of the bridegroom image shift the frame of the discussion? What does it imply about the nature of his ministry?
- Verse 35 looks ahead to the bridegroom being taken away. How does this shape the disciples' future practice of fasting? What does it teach about appropriate seasons for spiritual disciplines?
- The parables in verses 36-38 describe the damage that comes from mixing new and old. What specific “old” religious forms was Jesus challenging? What forms might be “new” in our lives today?
- Verse 39 has been read as either a gentle observation or a warning. In your opinion, is Jesus validating the preference for old wine, or challenging it? Why?
- Where in your own spiritual journey have you experienced the tension between holding on to familiar practices and embracing something new that God was doing?
- How does this passage help you understand the difference between a tradition that preserves truth and a form that prevents growth?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 28:9 | He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. |
| Isaiah 1:15 | When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. |
| Isaiah 58:3 | ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers. |
| Isaiah 58:6 | “Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? |
| Zechariah 7:6 | When you eat and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? |
| Matthew 6:5 | “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. |
| Matthew 6:6 | But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. |
| Matthew 9:14 | Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Greek word behind "the old is better," arguing it means "more agreeable to the taste," not morally superior. He explains that rabbinical tradition referred to wine three years old, from three leaf cycles, as the standard for aged wine.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads the preference for old wine as a rebuke to the Pharisees. They cling to the harsh, austere requirements of the ceremonial law, but the disciples have tasted the gentle blessings of the gospel and have no taste for those stern duties. Insisting on fasting now would be ill-timed and incongruous.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin warns that habit can unfairly shape judgment. Just as old wine is not less agreeable because it lacks the foam of new wine, Christ's humble dealings with his disciples are not less worthy than the Pharisees' more showy traditions. Custom had blinded them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary highlights that Luke alone records John’s disciples joining the Pharisees in asking about fasting, showing Luke’s careful fidelity. It also notes that the Greek verb for “taken away” subtly hints at a violent death, making this the earliest public intimation of Jesus’ crucifixion. For this writer, Christian fasting remains voluntary, never a command.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that Christ's parables about new wine and old garments teach the incompatibility of mixing gospel liberty with the old ceremonial law. Fasting belonged to a time of waiting; Christ's presence is a season of rejoicing, not mourning. The new covenant cannot be patched onto the old.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the parables about new cloth and new wine as illustrations of the incompatibility between human traditions and the new covenant of grace. The old garment represents self-righteousness from the law, and the old bottles represent the Pharisees’ inability to receive Gospel
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that this passage contains no physical miracle, yet its acts of grace -- the call of a despised tax collector and Christ's fellowship with sinners -- are no less powerful proofs that Jesus was sent by God. For Henry, these "wonders of his grace" carry the same weight as any healing.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to how Luke's version of the parable highlights a twofold damage: cutting a piece from a new garment harms it, and the old garment ends up patched rather than mended. He also notes Luke's specific word for supplications (deēseis), which elsewhere means personal petitions, not formal prayers.