Luke 5 36

Luke 5:36 kjv

And 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.

Luke 5:36 nkjv

Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.

Luke 5:36 niv

He told them this parable: "No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.

Luke 5:36 esv

He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

Luke 5:36 nlt

Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment.

Luke 5 verses

Luke 5 36 Meaning

Luke 5:36 presents a parable illustrating the incompatibility of new spiritual realities and old, rigid systems. It teaches that one does not take a patch from a new, undyed, unshrunk garment to mend an old one, because the new patch will shrink after washing, tearing the old garment and making the hole worse, and the distinct qualities of the new cloth will not harmonize with the worn fabric. This signifies that Jesus' ministry and the Kingdom of God represent a radically new and vibrant order that cannot simply be "patched onto" or contained within the decaying structures of the Mosaic ceremonial law or the legalistic traditions prevalent at the time, which were unable to accommodate or genuinely understand His transforming message.

Luke 5 36 Context

Luke 5:36 is part of a series of parables Jesus shares following the controversial incident where He called Levi (Matthew) and subsequently dined with tax collectors and sinners, prompting criticism from the Pharisees and scribes. This led to a discussion about fasting: John the Baptist's disciples and the Pharisees fast regularly, but Jesus' disciples do not. The parables of the patch and the wineskins (Luke 5:36-39) are Jesus' answer, clarifying that His coming represents a new, dynamic reality, the presence of the Bridegroom, that cannot be contained or understood within the existing, rigid framework of traditional Jewish legalism and religious practices. They signify a transition from the old covenant practices, like strict ritual fasting, to a new era of joy and a fresh relationship with God inaugurated by Jesus.

Luke 5 36 Word analysis

• He also told them a parable (παραβολή - parabolē): A short, illustrative story teaching a spiritual lesson. Jesus frequently used parables to convey profound truths in accessible ways, often challenging common perceptions. This parabolē is a figurative illustration from everyday life, designed to make a point about a spiritual reality.
• No one tears a piece from a new garment (καινοῦ ἱματίου - kainou himatiou):
  • καινός (kainos): "New" in quality, nature, or character, rather than merely "neos" (new in time or recent). It implies superior, fresh, unprecedented. This is crucial for understanding the nature of Jesus' kingdom.
  • ἱμάτιον (himation): Refers to an outer cloak or garment. The garment was likely wool, which, when new and unwashed, had not yet shrunk to its full extent. Tearing from such a garment was destructive.
• and puts it on an old garment (παλαιοῦ - palaiou):
  • παλαιός (palaios): "Old," implying worn-out, antiquated, deteriorated. It refers to something that has served its time and is no longer fit for purpose.
  • This combination signifies the fundamental mismatch: the fresh, undiminished power of the new contrasted with the weakness and fixed nature of the old.
• If he does, he will have torn the new (καὶ τὸ καινὸν ῥήξει - kai to kainon rhēxei):
  • ῥήγνυμι (rhēgnumi): "To tear, break asunder." The act of taking a piece from the new garment itself ruins the new garment, rather than using it whole for its intended purpose. It shows the misuse and waste of the new.
• and the piece from the new will not match the old (καὶ τῷ παλαιῷ οὐ συμφωνήσει τὸ ἐπίβλημα τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ καινοῦ - kai tō palaiō ou symphōnēsei to epiblēma to apo tou kainou):
  • συμφωνέω (symphōneō): "To be in accord with, harmonize with, match." The negative "ou symphōnēsei" means "will not agree" or "will not harmonize/match." This emphasizes the fundamental incompatibility, not just a practical problem. The new fabric, being stronger and shrinking differently, would distort and ultimately rip the weaker old fabric.
  • ἐπίβλημα (epiblēma): "Patch," or "that which is put on," here specifically refers to the patch itself.

Word-groups Analysis:

• "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment": This phrase establishes the foundational premise of the parable: the action is counterproductive and harmful. It visually depicts the folly of attempting to force a vibrant, expanding truth into an existing, shrinking, and decaying framework. This act damages the new garment from which the patch is taken, preventing it from fulfilling its intended design as a complete, perfect whole.
• "If he does, he will have torn the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old": This outlines the dual destructive consequences. Firstly, taking a patch from the new garment already ruins the integrity of the new garment itself. It means misapplying something pure and complete by reducing it to a mere patch for something inferior. Secondly, the patch, because of its intrinsic qualities (strength, future shrinkage), will only make the "old" garment's original problem worse by causing a bigger tear, further demonstrating the fundamental incompatibility and inability of the old system to genuinely integrate or benefit from the new. The inability of the new to "match" or "harmonize" with the old highlights a complete lack of agreement in their very nature and function.

Luke 5 36 Bonus section

The "new" (καινός - kainos) quality described here is distinct from "neos" (νέος), which refers to something chronologically new, recent, or fresh in appearance. Kainos implies something new in type, form, quality, or character – something unprecedented and fundamentally different. Jesus is not merely offering an updated version of Judaism, but inaugurating a completely novel spiritual order that fulfills and supersedes the old without abolishing the Old Testament's foundational truths and prophetic declarations. The problem lies not with the Old Covenant Law itself as given by God (which is holy, righteous, and good - Rom 7:12), but with human interpretation and adherence to external traditions (often added to the Law), and with the inability of the old covenant system, as it had become, to bring true righteousness and transformation. It was a preparatory system. The "old garment" points to an obsolete way of living by human efforts to attain righteousness and maintain spiritual vitality, which always fails. The "new garment" is the living, transforming reality of Christ's righteousness and the Holy Spirit within believers, necessitating a complete shift in approach.

Luke 5 36 Commentary

Luke 5:36 is a vivid metaphor Jesus employs to convey a crucial spiritual truth: His advent did not usher in a mere modification or amendment to the existing religious framework, but a radically new and transformative reality—the Kingdom of God. The "new garment" represents Jesus' teachings, His person, His ministry, and the Spirit-filled life He offers under the New Covenant. This "new" is qualitatively different and superior; it is vibrant, expansive, and has its own integrity. The "old garment" signifies the rigid, worn-out structures of Jewish legalism and ceremonial law as interpreted and practiced by many religious leaders of the day.

The parable teaches that trying to combine these fundamentally different realities leads to destruction for both. Patching the old with the new is not only futile but harmful. The vibrant, active nature of the new would not only fail to fix the old but would actively tear it apart further. Moreover, reducing the glorious "new garment" to a mere patch diminishes its inherent wholeness and purpose.

This parable clarifies why Jesus' disciples do not conform to traditional fasting practices (Lk 5:33). It's not a slight against past practices per se, but an affirmation that something entirely new has arrived—the Bridegroom is present (Lk 5:34-35). Joy and celebration are appropriate, not mourning or legalistic observances of fasting. The new spiritual life in Christ is incompatible with attempts to bind it to outward forms of performance or adherence to the shadows of the Old Covenant that pointed to Him. The Gospel is a fresh outpouring of grace, power, and freedom, requiring a renewed heart and a different spiritual posture.

Practical usage:

• Trying to "patch up" a sinful life with external religious observances without true repentance and internal transformation.
• Attempting to blend biblical truth with worldly philosophies, distorting both.
• Insisting on old traditions or methods within the Church that hinder the Spirit's new work and fresh expressions of faith.