The Pharisees ask why Jesus's students to not fast. He compares his followers to those at a wedding party saying new wine requires fresh skins.
Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Luke 5:39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’
No one drinking old wants new because he says, "The old is wholesome."
Just because the wine is good last time you had some doesn't mean it is still good.
The humor here is the word "old." There is no word for "wine" here. Does the word "drink" imply wine? The Greek "drink" also means "celebrate," and old people were celebrated. The word mistranslated as "better" is the punchline. It mean "kindly" and "honest" when referring to people and when referring to food, "unspoiled." Wine spoiled into vinegar more commonly in Jesus's time. The person drinking celebrates that it is unspoiled and celebrates old people as kindly.
No man also having(WT) drunk old wine(IW) straightway(OS) desireth new: for he saith, The old is better(CW,OS).
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "wine" doesn't exist in the source.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "straightway " existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "good" or "better."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- This is not the comparative form in the source we use today but it was in the source that the KJV translators used.
And no one after(IW) drinking old wine(IW) wants the new, for they(WN) say, ‘The old is better(CW,WF)..’
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "after" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "wine" doesn't exist in the source.
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "good" or "better."
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "better" is not a comparative form.
No man -- The Greek adjective translated as "no man" also means "no one," "nothing," and other negative pronouns. It is used by Jesus more like a negative pronoun than an adjective. However, to avoid the English double-negative, we translate it as its opposite "anyone" when used with another Greek negative.
also -- The Greek word translated as "also" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
having -- (WT) This helping verb "having" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
drunk -- The word "drunk" is the Greek for meaning to "drink." It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." The word is a present participle, "drinking."
old -- The word translated as "old" means old in years both in a good sense and a bad one. In a good sense, it means "venerable" and in a bad sense, "obsolete."
wine -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "wine" in the Greek source.
straightway -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "straightway " in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
desireth -- The Greek word translated as "desires" expresses consent and even delight in doing something. It is not the same as the helper verb "will" in English. It means "to consent" and "to be resolved to a purpose." As a participle, it can mean "willingly" and "gladly."
new: -- "new" is an adjective that means "young," "youthful," "suited to a youth," "new," "fresh,."
for --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause."
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
saith,-- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak," but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of." When two accusative objects are used, the sense is "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell." It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."
The -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
old -- The word translated as "old" means old in years both in a good sense and a bad one. In a good sense, it means "venerable" and in a bad sense, "obsolete."
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
better. -- (CW, OS)The word translated as "better" means "useful," "good of its kind," "serviceable," referring to food "wholesome," referring to people,"good," "honest," "worthy," in war, "valiant," and "true." This is not the word usually translated as "better." This is not the comparative form in the source we use today but it was in the source that the KJV translators used.
No one -- The Greek adjective translated as "no one" also means "no one," "nothing," and other negative pronouns. It is used by Jesus more like a negative pronoun than an adjective. However, to avoid the English double-negative, we translate it as its opposite "anyone" when used with another Greek negative.
also -- The Greek word translated as "also" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
after -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "after" in the Greek source.
drinking -- The word "drunk" is the Greek for meaning to "drink." It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." The word is a present participle, "drinking."
old -- The word translated as "old" means old in years both in a good sense and a bad one. In a good sense, it means "venerable" and in a bad sense, "obsolete."
wine -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "wine" in the Greek source.
wants -- The Greek word translated as "wants " expresses consent and even delight in doing something. It is not the same as the helper verb "will" in English. It means "to consent" and "to be resolved to a purpose." As a participle, it can mean "willingly" and "gladly."
new: -- "new" is an adjective that means "young," "youthful," "suited to a youth," "new," "fresh,."
for --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause."
they -- (WN) This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb. This word is not plural but singular.
say,-- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak," but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of." When two accusative objects are used, the sense is "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell." It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."
The -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
old -- The word translated as "old" means old in years both in a good sense and a bad one. In a good sense, it means "venerable" and in a bad sense, "obsolete."
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
better. -- (CW, WF) -- The word translated as "better" means "useful," "good of its kind," "serviceable," referring to food "wholesome," referring to people,"good," "honest," "worthy," in war, "valiant," and "true." in a moral sense, it is the opposite of kakos, which means "bad" and "evil," but which is not the word usually translated as "evil" in the NT. For more on this topic, see this article. Jesus only uses this word three times. This is not the word usually translated as "better." This is not the comparative form in the source we use today but it was in the source that the KJV translators used.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
Οὐδεὶς [69 verses] (adj sg masc nom) "No man" is oudeis which means "no one," "not one," "nothing," "naught," "good for naught," and "no matter."
πιὼν [36 verses](part sg aor act masc nom) "Having drunk" is pino, which means "to drink," "to celebrate," and "soak up."
παλαιὸν [8 verses](adj sg neut acc) "Old" is palaios, which means "old in years," "ancient," (in a good sense) "venerable," "held in esteem," (in a bad way) "antiquated," "obsolete," and "in an old way."
θέλει [64 verses] (verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Desireth"is thelo, which as a verb means "to be willing (of consent rather than desire)," "to wish," "to ordain," "to decree," "to be resolved to a purpose" "to maintain," "to hold," "to delight in, and "will (too express a future event with inanimate objects)." It is a prolonged form (only found in NT) of a verb that means "to be resolved to a purpose" so, in a sense, "to decide," and "to desire." As a participle, it means "being willing" or, adverbially, "willingly," and "gladly." In the Hebrew, "will" or "desire" is chaphets, which means "to delight in," "to take pleasure in," and "to be pleased with."
νέον [8 verses](adj sg neut acc)"New" is neos, which means "young," "youthful," "suited to a youth," "new," "fresh,." and as an adverb of time, "lately," "just now," "anew," and "afresh,"
λέγει [264 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "He saith" is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." When used with an object is has the sense of "call by name." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep." This word is more about making a statement than participating in a discussion. Translating is as "stated" might distinguish it better.
γὰρ [205 verses](partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what."
Ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative. See this article.
παλαιὸς [8 verses](adj sg neut nom) "Old" is palaios, which means "old in years," "ancient," (in a good sense) "venerable," "held in esteem," (in a bad way) "antiquated," "obsolete," and "in an old way."
χρηστός [3 verses](adj sg masc nom) "Better" is chrestos, which means "useful," "good of its kind," and "serviceable;" of persons, "good," "kindly;" "honest," "worthy," in war, "valiant," "true;" of the gods, "propitious," "merciful," "bestowing health or wealth;" of a man, "strong," "able in body for sexual intercourse;" when used as a noun, "benefits," "kindnesses," "happy event," "prosperity," and "success.;" in a moral sense, it is the opposite of kakos, which means "bad" and "evil," but which is not the word usually translated as "evil" in the NT. For more on this topic, see this article.
ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." With the dative object, the object acts like a possessive and "it is to him" becomes "it is his." With the preposition, εἰς, the sense is "consist of."
The word "drink" means "to celebrate".