Wineskins, also known as winebags, are containers traditionally made from animal skins, typically goats, used for storing and fermenting wine. In biblical times, wineskins were a common and practical means of transporting and preserving wine, especially in the arid regions of the Near East. The use of wineskins is mentioned in several passages of the Bible, serving both a literal and metaphorical purpose.

Biblical References:

1. Matthew 9:17 : "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will spill and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." This passage is part of Jesus' teaching on the incompatibility of the old and new covenants. The metaphor of new wine and new wineskins illustrates the necessity of a new framework to accommodate the transformative message of the Gospel.

2. Mark 2:22 : "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins." Similar to the account in Matthew, this verse emphasizes the need for renewal and the receptivity required to embrace the teachings of Christ.

3. Luke 5:37-38 : "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will spill and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins." Luke's account reiterates the message found in Matthew and Mark, underscoring the importance of spiritual renewal and the adaptability required to receive the new covenant.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient times, wineskins were crafted by sewing the skin of an animal, typically a goat, and treating it to hold liquids. The elasticity and strength of new wineskins made them ideal for containing the fermentation process of new wine, which expands as it ferments. Old wineskins, having already been stretched and possibly becoming brittle, were unsuitable for new wine, as they could not withstand the pressure of fermentation, leading to bursting and loss of both the wine and the container.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

The imagery of wineskins in the New Testament is rich with symbolic meaning. The new wine represents the new covenant brought by Jesus Christ, characterized by grace, forgiveness, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The old wineskins symbolize the old covenant, the Mosaic Law, and the traditional Jewish practices that were insufficient to contain the fullness of the Gospel message.

The teaching of new wine in new wineskins calls for a transformation of heart and mind, urging believers to embrace the new life offered through Christ. It highlights the necessity of spiritual renewal and the willingness to let go of old ways to fully experience the transformative power of the Gospel.

Theological Implications:

The metaphor of wineskins challenges believers to consider the condition of their spiritual receptivity. It serves as a reminder that the Gospel cannot be confined within the rigid structures of legalism or outdated traditions. Instead, it requires a fresh, flexible, and open heart ready to receive and be transformed by the living Word of God.

In summary, wineskins in the Bible are more than just physical containers; they are a profound metaphor for the new life and covenant brought by Jesus Christ. The call to pour new wine into new wineskins is an invitation to embrace the transformative power of the Gospel with a renewed and open heart.WINE-SKINS

(chemeth (Genesis 21:14 margin), n'odh (Judges 4:19 "bottle") nebhel, nebhel (1 Samuel 10:3 margin), ('obh) (Job 32:19); askos (Matthew 9:17 Mark 2:22 Luke 5:37; compare askoputine, Judith 10:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "leathern bottle")): These words are all used to designate skins for the containing of liquids, nebhel, however, being the most common in the case of wine. The Israelite, like the modern Arabic and Syrian, used mainly the skin of the goat and the sheep, but the skins of the ox and the camel have also been put to this purpose. The skin is removed from the animal by drawing it over the body from the neck downward, half the skin on each of the limbs being also retained. It is then tanned, the hair cut close, turned inside out, and has all the openings save one closed with cords, when it is ready for use. The reference to "a wineskin in the smoke" in Psalm 119:83 is generally explained on the supposition of its being hung there for mellowing purposes, but this can scarcely be accepted, for wine is never left for any length of time in the skin on account of its imparting a disagreeable flavor to the contents. The explanation of the New Testament passages is that the new wine, still liable to continue fermenting to a small extent at least, was put into new, still expansible skins, a condition that had ceased in the older ones.

See WINE.

W. M. Christie

779. askos -- a leather bottle, wineskin
... Vincent). Word Origin a prim. word Definition a leather bottle, wineskin
NASB Word Usage skins (4), wineskins (8). bottle, wineskin. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/779.htm - 6k4997. nod -- a skin bottle, skin
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a skin bottle, skin NASB Word
Usage bottle (2), jug (1), wineskin (1), wineskins (2). bottle. ...
/hebrew/4997.htm - 6k

178. ob -- a bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer
... from an unused word Definition a bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer NASB
Word Usage medium (2), medium* (3), mediums (9), spirit (1), wineskins (1). ...
/hebrew/178.htm - 6k

The Controversy Concerning Fasting
... is with them?" A new spirit is working in Christianity, far too mightily to be
restrained by ancient usages; if the new wine be put into such wineskins it will ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 2 18 the controversy concerning.htm

Wineskins (7 Occurrences)
... WM Christie. Multi-Version Concordance Wineskins (7 Occurrences). ... No, they put new
wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." (WEB WEY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/w/wineskins.htm - 10k

Burst (33 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/b/burst.htm - 17k

Skins (27 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/s/skins.htm - 15k

Fresh (41 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/f/fresh.htm - 21k

Ruined (65 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/r/ruined.htm - 25k

Destroyed (377 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Matthew 9:17 Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the
skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. ...
/d/destroyed.htm - 37k

Pours (21 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pours (21 Occurrences). Matthew 9:17 Nor do people
pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins ...
/p/pours.htm - 11k

Preserved (27 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/p/preserved.htm - 14k

Spilled (6 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins
would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. ...
/s/spilled.htm - 8k

Puts (197 Occurrences)
... Mark 2:22 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst
the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they ...
/p/puts.htm - 36k

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