QUES. 41.-What is the meaning of Matt. 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?"

ANS. -Matthew, a customs officer, or "tax-gatherer," hated by the Jews and counted a great sinner because of this, had just proved the grace of our Lord Jesus, and made Him a feast at which " many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples." This was great offence to the Pharisees, who trusted in their own righteousness and could not therefore understand nor appreciate grace ; so they found fault with the Lord who, as the true Physician, sought for the sick and perishing. Even John's disciples did not understand the Lord's grace, for John's ministry was still a ministry of requirement and not of bestowal; so they came to enquire. The marvelous change from law to grace, from demanding to imparting, angered the many, puzzled others, and called for an explanation ; so the Lord gives it in its external or dispensational aspect in verse 16, and in its internal or moral effect in verse 17. In verse 16 He says in effect, You cannot mix Christianity with Judaism ; like an old garment which has had its day and use, Judaism is passing away, and Christianity-a totally new thing-is taking its place. To mix them would be to spoil both-as it is now seen throughout Christendom. Luther, and others with him, with many more since, and to this very hour, have labored and suffered to keep them apart and to preserve a pure gospel ; but like the life-boat in a rough sea, no sooner has one wave been overcome than another follows.

The language of verse 17 is:Grace is known only by newborn men. To the natural man it is but encouragement to sin-the ruin of both grace and himself. Because of not understanding this, Christian rulers fail seriously in their government, and cause grace to be despised. Though the grace of Christianity may, and does, temper government, it is impossible to govern natural men on the principle of grace, for they know nothing of its power. Only the children of God can appreciate grace, and the sensitiveness to sin which it produces in them preserves both it and them.

Perhaps you know that "bottles" in the original is "wineskins." They were made of goat-skins prepared for that purpose; as they grew old they grew weak, of course, and were unable to resist what fermentation " new wine " might yet develop after being transferred from the great fermenting vats to these wineskins for transportation.