聖經是我們獨一無二的標準 - 生命.. 結晶.. 啓示

Reason

Unshrunk cloth

will shrink and tear the old garment

New wine fermenting

 will burst old wineskins

Symbolism

Unshrunk cloth: Christ from incarnation to before crucifixion

New garment: Christ after crucifixion

Old garment: Man's behavior based on old natural life

New wine: Christ as invigorating new life

Old wineskins: Various religions

New wineskins: Church life of local churches

Explanation

People shouldn't try to imitate

 Christ's earthly life

while ignoring

His redemption and resurrection

Christ's new life

shouldn't be confined

within old religious forms

Example

Trying to gain salvation by imitating Jesus' actions rather than

believing in His redemption

Viewing Christ's teachings

merely as

new religious rules or rituals

Application

Accept the crucified and resurrected Christ as new garment, as righteousness before God

Experience Christ as new wine in church life and become new wineskins containing Christ

Related Scriptures

Luke 5:36 "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 15:22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.'"

Galatians 3:27 "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

1 Corinthians 1:30 "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."

Revelation 19:8 "Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)"

Jeremiah 2:32 "Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number."

Judges 9:12-13 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.' But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'"

Galatians 1:14-16a "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles..."

1 Corinthians 12:12 "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ."

Acts 9:5 "'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied."

1 Corinthians 1:10,13a "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ... Is Christ divided?"