"He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old."
Luke 5:36 (NIV)
New versus old.
Repentance versus righteousness.
Love versus Law.
Jesus came to show us and teach us that the new Way is a Way of repentance and love. Not the way of self-righteousness and Law. This section of Luke repeats this message over and over again, with the clearest contrast shown in the blessings and the woes. Blessed are the poor versus Woe to those who are rich. Blessed are those who hunger now versus Woe to those who are well-fed now. Blessed are those who weep now versus Woe to those who laugh now. Blessed are those hated and despised for Christ versus Woe to those who are praised by His enemies.
New versus Old.
Repentance versus Righteousness.
Love versus Law.
Poor versus Rich.
Hungry versus Well fed.
Weeping versus Laughing.
Persecuted versus Praised.
The Lord Jesus makes this list of contrasts into a list of progression for all of His followers: repentance leads to true righteousness, love fulfills the Law, the poor become rich, the hungry become full, the weeping is changed to laughter, and the persecuted are praised by their Lord. And the New Way is the true Old Way; the path that leads to the Ancient of Days.
Oh friend, may we be found on the New Way, and only on that path. May we heed the warning of our Saviour and refuse to mix the New with the old.
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