p. 7 | Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 27, 1904

Question Corner

By Editor

1464.—Old Garments and Wine-skins.

Will you, through the columns of your paper, explain Matt. 9:16, 17.

The parable reads thus: "No man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made. Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins; else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish; but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved."

God's truth is living, strengthening, expansive, progressive. This the Pharisees of all ages, incrusted in dry, dead forms have been unable to comprehend or apprehend. This has always been the danger of those who are disciples of men. John's disciples had followed the forms of the Pharisees; why did not Christ's disciples do the same? Answering the question of mere custom, Jesus touches the deeper truth in the parables above quoted. Undressed, or unfulled cloth shrinks and thickens in the fulling. While it appears less, it is of greater worth. It is, so to speak, a living web. Placed upon old cloth, its shrinking would tear the old material, and make a worse rent. The whole Jewish system had grown old, not because of God's truth, but because truth had been mixed with human tradition till the life had departed and only a perverted form was left. God's living truth could not be patched upon the dry, dead form.

Skins of animals were used for bottles. The fresh bottle would expand with the fermentation of the new wine, but new wine put into old, dry, unexpansive skins would be sure to burst them. The cloth parable was symbolical of the doctrines of tradition; the wine-skins of the hearts wedded to the traditions. Just as long as they remained in that condition they could not receive the pure, living truth of God. Therefore the words of Jesus to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again," "born from above," or receive the living truth of God. The parable does not mean that God's truth changes, or that eternal truth is set aside; but it does mean that warm, living truth can not be patched on to human creeds, and that hearts wedded to those creeds can not receive living, expansive truth. And the parable is applicable for all time.

1465.—Life and Immortality.

Please explain 2 Tim. 1:10: "Christ Jesus . . . hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel."

(1) Jesus Christ is the only One through whom life and immortality can be obtained. (2) He is this because life is in Him; "for as the Father hath life in Himself, even so gave He to the Son also to have life in Himself." John 5:26. (3) He abolished death by abolishing it in Himself as the representative of the race. Immortality is God's seal on a character incorruptible, on righteousness inwrought into character. And of all who ever lived in the flesh, Jesus alone by "the power of an endless life" wrought out a character incorruptible. While He died for man, the grave could not hold perfect righteousness. Acts 2:24. This righteousness and this life Christ gives to all who accept Him; and thus He abolishes death in every faithful soul, and has abolished it in Himself for all who will take it in His way. And all these blessed tidings of life to a dying world constitute the Gospel, "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Rom. 1:16.