New and Old Mindsets (Wineskins)

Today I read this in my Bible – Jesus parable about the new and old wine and wineskins in Luke’s gospel, and there is a verse there that I hadn’t noticed before – verse 39. (Mark and Matthew do not include it.)

“No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says that the old is better.”

After thinking and digging deeper as to what it meant, it helped me to understand why it is harder for someone who has been indoctrinated in one way of thinking, to break free and accept a new way. The mind is set to a certain bias, hence the mindset. It takes time to break free from false beliefs.

Anyhow, here are my morning musings….

No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
(Luke 5:37-39)

Old wineskins represent old traditions, old teachings, which one may have cherished for a long time. The old is comfortable, safe and sound, even if it may be wrong. One brought up with these old teachings has a bias towards them. It takes a long time to change one’s mind when one has been indoctrinated, whether for good or bad.

These old mindsets based in Old Testament law, could not receive the new teaching that Jesus was bringing. Hence that is why Jesus chose new wineskins, i.e., ordinary folk who had not been taught the old ways. His disciples included fishermen, tax collectors, and the like. He needed new wineskins to contain this new wine (the gospel of grace and not works), and to allow it to mature into the sound doctrine that we have in the New Testament (the apostles’ teaching). Both are preserved.

“So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.” (2 Thes 2:15)

“Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 1:13)

“I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.” (Rev 3:11)

“Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.” (Romans 16:17)

And might I add, when we become grounded in the truth of the Gospel by reading and studying the Bible, our minds become set and established and able to distinguish the truth from falsehood.

“Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

As Jesus said:

“If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free… If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-32, 36)

“Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)