Luke 5:36

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.

And {G1161} he spake {G3004} also {G2532} a parable {G3850} unto {G4314} them {G846};{G3754} No man {G3762} putteth {G1911} a piece {G1915} of a new {G2537} garment {G2440} upon {G1909} an old {G2440}{G3820}; if otherwise, then {G1490} both {G2532} the new {G2537} maketh a rent {G4977}, and {G2532} the piece {G1915} that was taken out of {G575} the new {G2537} agreeth {G4856} not {G3756} with the old {G3820}.

Then he gave them an illustration: "No one tears a piece from a new coat and puts it on an old one; if he does, not only will the new one continue to rip, but the piece from the new will not match the old.

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old.

And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.

Commentary

In Luke 5:36, Jesus uses a vivid parable about patching clothes to illustrate a profound spiritual truth. This teaching is part of a larger discussion where Jesus addresses the challenges of integrating His revolutionary message and ministry into existing religious frameworks.

Context

This parable immediately follows a discussion about fasting, initiated by the Pharisees and scribes who questioned why Jesus' disciples did not fast as often as John's disciples or their own (Luke 5:33). Jesus' parables of the new patch on an old garment and the new wine in old wineskins (Luke 5:37-39) are His response, emphasizing the incompatibility of His "new" way—marked by grace, freedom, and a personal relationship with God—with the "old" rigid traditions and legalistic practices of Judaism.

Key Themes

  • Incompatibility of Systems: The core message is that Jesus' ministry and the Kingdom of God He inaugurated cannot simply be "patched onto" or integrated into the existing, rigid religious systems of His day. The old and the new are fundamentally incompatible in their nature and approach.
  • The Nature of Transformation: Jesus' coming was not about reforming or slightly adjusting the old covenant or traditional Judaism. It was about ushering in a completely new reality, a new covenant that required a fundamental shift in understanding and practice.
  • Damage from Forcing a Fit: Trying to combine the new and the old results in damage to both. The "new maketh a rent" because the unshrunk new cloth, when washed, would shrink and tear the already shrunk, weaker old garment. The patch itself also "agreeth not," meaning it doesn't match or belong, creating an unsightly and ineffective repair.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "agreeth not with the old" conveys the idea of a fundamental mismatch. In the original Greek, the verb for "maketh a rent" is schizō (σχίζω), meaning 'to tear' or 'to split'. This highlights the destructive outcome of trying to force a new, vibrant piece onto an old, worn fabric. The implication is that the new, unshrunk cloth, upon its first wash, would contract, causing the old, already shrunken garment to tear further. This practical detail underscores the parable's spiritual lesson: trying to mix the vibrant, expanding truth of the Gospel with rigid, decaying traditions will only cause damage and disunity, rather than improvement.

Practical Application

Luke 5:36 encourages believers to recognize that the Christian faith is not merely an addition to previous beliefs or practices, but a radical transformation. It calls for a willingness to embrace the new things God is doing, even if it means letting go of familiar, but outdated, spiritual garments or mindsets. This parable challenges us to:

  • Embrace Radical Change: Be open to the profound and transformative work of God in our lives, rather than attempting superficial adjustments.
  • Discern Incompatibility: Understand that some aspects of our old ways or cultural norms may be fundamentally incompatible with the new life in Christ, requiring us to shed them rather than try to integrate them.
  • Seek Genuine Newness: Prioritize a true new creation in Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to reshape our hearts and minds according to God's will.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 9:16

    No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

  • Matthew 9:17

    Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

  • Mark 2:21

    No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

  • Mark 2:22

    And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:16

    And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • Deuteronomy 22:11

    Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, [as] of woollen and linen together.

  • Leviticus 19:19

    ¶ Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
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