Luke 5:39 — Community Reflections

LUKE 5:39 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.”

And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, the old is better — Luke's addition to the parable collection is unique: the preference for old wine. The one who is accustomed to the old wine does not desire the new — the palate formed by the old resists the new even when the new is superior. The Pharisees' preference for the old forms is the practical expression of this principle: they have tasted the old and find the new unsatisfying, not yet understanding that the new is the fulfillment of what the old anticipated.

Church Fathers on Luke 5:39

As soon as they have received the first answer from Christ, they proceed from one thing to another, with the intent to show that the holy disciples, and Jesus Himself with them, cared very little for the law. Hence it follows, Why do the disciples of John fast, but you eat, &c. As if they said, You eat with publicans and sinners, whereas the law forbids to have any fellowship with the unclean, but compassion comes in as an excuse for your transgression; why then do you not…
Cyril of Alexandria · 5th century

Now Luke evidently relates that this was spoken not by men of themselves, but by others concerning them. How then does Matthew say, Then came to him the disciple of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast; unless that they themselves also came, and were all eager, as far as they were able, to put the question to Him?
Augustine · 4th century

As if He should say, The present time is one of joy and gladness, sorrow must not then be mixed up with it.
Chrysostom · 4th century

Read all 19 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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