No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
LUKE 5:39KJVWhat does Luke 5:39 mean?
Luke 5:39 describes how people who are used to old wine do not immediately want new wine, saying the old is better. This is a way of saying that people often prefer what they are familiar with and may resist something new, even if it could be good.
In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a group that includes religious leaders, using the image of wine to illustrate how people react to change. The context is a discussion about why Jesus and his disciples do not follow the same fasting traditions as others. Jesus is highlighting that those comfortable with old ways (the "old wine") are not quick to accept new ways (the "new wine")—pointing to the difficulty many have in embracing his new teachings.
The Greek behind Luke 5:39
- ἀρχαῖος (palaios, transliterated as "old"): This word for "old" refers to something aged or longstanding, not just in time but in established custom. It emphasizes the deep-rooted habits or traditions Jesus is referencing.
- νέος (neos, transliterated as "new"): This word means something recent or fresh. Here, it stands for new practices or teachings that Jesus brings, which feel unfamiliar or even unsettling to those used to the old.
- χρηστός (chrēstos, transliterated as "better"): This word can mean "good," "useful," or "better." The sense is not just preference but the idea that the old is seen as more agreeable or fitting by those accustomed to it.
Why Luke 5:39 matters
- Luke 5:39 helps explain why some people, especially the religious leaders of Jesus' day, were slow to accept his message—they saw the old ways as better and were wary of change.
- This verse connects to the wider passage where Jesus uses several images (like new cloth on old garments and new wine in old wineskins) to show that his message is something new that cannot simply be patched onto old traditions.
- The verse clears up the idea that resistance to Jesus was not just about doctrine, but about the natural human tendency to stick with what feels familiar, even when something new is offered.