Article July 11, 1936 ISSUE

The New Wine

RICHARD P. VERRALL

There is profound metaphysical significance in the Master's parable of the new wine and the old bottles, especially when the circumstances which brought it forth are taken into account. The Pharisees, who identified themselves with everything that was orthodox in religion, naturally resented a new teaching which claimed superiority over their own. The new dispensation of spiritual power which Christ Jesus introduced with such convincing signs of healing, was of course the new wine which is referred to in the parable, and which at the last supper he spoke of as "my blood of the new testament." This vital force could not be safely put into the "old bottles" of Judaic teaching, but must have a more receptive place in which to repose. The twelve disciples had been chosen expressly for this purpose, but of these one utterly failed to meet the required test.

The effect of the new wine of spiritual truth, as it animated the thoughts and took form in the acts of the apostles, was shown forth in a great demonstration of spiritual power on the day of Pentecost. So imbued were the disciples with the Holy Spirit that on that day thousands were converted to Christianity. Some of the bystanders, however, failing to understand the cause of the spiritual exaltation of the speakers, supposed them to be intoxicated.

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