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The Challenge for Every Disciple

Text: Matthew 9 : 14 - 17

The disciples of John would have to be very enlightened people to fully fathom what Jesus said. If they lacked understanding, they would have to make the effort and stretch themselves to obtain this vital knowledge.

We need not be overly disturbed by the way Jesus spoke to the disciples of John. One of the challenges placed before the disciples was the cultivation of an inquiring mind. The more the disciple develops this facet of his mind, the stronger the disciple he would become.

There would be times when the teacher would impart knowledge in the typical way. He would explain or elaborate on what He has taught. However, if the teacher feels that the disciple needs to exercise his mind more vigorously, he would pose one challenging thought after another. Knowledge is not denied. It is just being withheld temporarily. The diligent and wise disciple would spare no effort to search out the truth.

THE TEACHING METHODS OF THE MASTER TEACHER

Jesus employed many methods to teach people. He used a variety of methods depending on the people who came to Him. Highlighted are some of the methods observed by Matthew and recorded in the earlier chapters of his gospel.

1. Straightforward proclamations (“Blessed are the poor in spirit…”)

2. Rhetorical questions (“If his son asks for bread, will he give a stone”)

3. Direct and interactive questions (“Why are you fearful?”)

4. Object lessons (“Assuredly I say to you, ‘I have not found such great faith…'”)

5. Illustrations (“Look at the birds of the air…”)

6. Analogies (Unshrunk cloth on an old garment; New wine in an old wineskin)

The Master-Teacher was never at a loss for words, or teaching methods. They came naturally to Him.

THE ANALOGY OF PATCHING UP AN OLD GARMENT

Jesus was a Master at using analogies as a teaching tool. Let us consider the following text.

“No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth
on an old garment; for the patch pulls away
from the garment and the tear is made worse.
Matthew 9:16

The effectiveness of an analogy is in the choice of an article which is common knowledge. There is then a twist in the tale (The modern short story method). The effect is breath taking.

Patching up old garments was a common practice among the less wealthy. One could not afford to throw away garments that still had some wear in them. Whenever there was a tear in a garment, patchwork was the next logical step.

How would patchwork be done? Only a fool would patch an old garment with new and unshrunk cloth! The unshrunk cloth would shrink when washed. It would tear the patched garment badly – perhaps to the point of it being unusable!

THE ANALOGY OF AN OLD WINESKIN AND NEW WINE

If one analogy was not clear enough, another was chosen to aid comprehension. Jesus once again made use of common knowledge concerning the storage of new wine.

“Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins,
or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled,
and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new
wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Matthew 9:17

Wine was a common drink in those days. Pure drinking water was not easily available. Wines were consumed as part of a meal. The drinking of wine as a beverage must not be confused with drunkenness.

Since wine was a natural beverage taken with meals, wine had to be carefully preserved. One of the most common ways of keeping wine was to store them in wineskins. You do not need to be a wine expert to know that new wines tend to be more vigorous. Wines are said to “breathe”. They cause wineskins to “expand”.

If new wine is put into old wineskins, serious damage could occur. The old wineskins can actually burst at the seams because of the fermenting process of the new wine. There could be total loss of both the wine and the wineskins.

However, if great care is taken, there need not be any loss. The old wineskins could still be used. The new wine would not be spilled, and the householder would be a happy person.

NATURAL – NOT CONTROVERSIAL

The Pharisees and the disciples of John were alike in some ways. They had adopted traditional ways, and they deemed people who did not follow their ways as “doubtful” or “suspicious”. They could not think outside the box they were in.

Jesus represented a totally new paradigm shift! He, being who He was, could not be read and interpreted by anyone in any “traditional” way. To attempt to do that would result in disaster. He was not just teaching great truth. He was the walking and living Truth! He not only wielded power. He was the Lord! Till people understood who Jesus really was, they could never hope to comprehend what He said nor what He did! To Jesus, what He did, like associating with sinners, was natural, not controversial!