Law, Grace & New Wine
- James Collazo
- Jun 29, 2022
- 12 min read
Updated: Nov 7
Introduction
In his parable of the wineskins, Jesus declares:
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, "The old is better" (Luke 5:37–39).
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to fermenting wine (see "Kingdom of God & Heaven"). In the blazing heat of the Near East, fermentation happened quickly, and winemakers lacked the casks or cellars we use today. They valued aged wine and sometimes watered it to soften its bite, but the pressure of fermentation could tear a new wineskin apart—just as it can burst a bottle or pop a cork now. Jesus speaks with the authority of one who knows the living power of God's kingdom: the new wine of the gospel cannot be contained by old forms, old traditions, or hardened hearts. It overflows, fills new vessels, and transforms everyone who receives it.
In this passage, Jesus responds to the Pharisees, who accuse him and his disciples of breaking Jewish fasting traditions. Many first-century Jews fasted daily or twice a week, and groups such as the Pharisees considered it a sign of genuine devotion. Jesus answers with striking clarity: he came not to discard the Law of Moses but to bring it to its whole purpose. The Law served as Israel's national covenant and the foundation of its faith, yet Jesus declares, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matt. 5:17). The Law was the old wine in an old wineskin, stretched to its limit. The Greek verb plēroō (G4137) means "to fill completely," though many translations, such as the New International Version, render it simply as "fulfill." Jesus pours new wine into a new wineskin—not from another vineyard, but from the same divine source—inviting Israel, and all who would follow, to drink deeply of the living kingdom he brings.
One of Matthew's key themes presents Jesus as the new Moses, Israel's true lawgiver. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cites the Law with phrases like, "You have heard that it was said" (Matt. 5:21), then expands each command to reveal its whole meaning. He affirms Moses' teaching but restores God's original intent behind it. Moses himself foresaw this greater prophet: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him" (Deut. 18:15). Moses knew he was not the final voice of God's revelation; another would rise to complete it. While Rabbinic Jews still await this prophet, Messianic Jews and Christians recognize him as Jesus—the fulfillment of God's promise and the one who reveals the kingdom in its fullness (cf. John 1:19–34).
Old vs. New Perspective on Paul
Both Lutheran and Reformed traditions teach what scholars call the "old perspective on Paul," a view still common in many churches. However, this interpretation arose only in the sixteenth century during the Protestant Reformation (1517–1648) and bears traces of antisemitism shaped by replacement theology, or supersessionism (see "Israel: Election & Identity" and "Auschwitz & Biblical Studies"). The German reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546), for example, claimed that Paul taught the Law of Moses had become obsolete, replaced entirely by faith alone. Luther read Paul's letters through the lens of his own struggle against medieval legalism, interpreting "works of the Law" as human efforts to earn salvation rather than as markers of Jewish covenant identity. This reading shifted the focus from covenant faithfulness to individual justification, shaping Western Christianity's view of grace, faith, and the Law for centuries to come.
Old-perspective theologians often portray Judaism as a stereotype, assuming that Jews—both ancient and modern—depend on works of the Law for salvation. This view distorts both Scripture and history. It reads the Reformation's critique of Roman Catholicism back into the New Testament's debates with the Pharisees and Sadducees. For instance, theologian J. Ligon Duncan III (b. 1960) writes, "In the same way as much of Judaism, Roman Catholicism was and is a religion emphasizing salvation by grace through faith. But closer examination shows that human merit is not excluded."
The so-called "new perspective on Paul" seems new only to readers who skip the first 1,500 years of church history—moving from the New Testament straight to the Reformation. In truth, this perspective began in the first century and continues within Messianic Judaism today. Paul never claimed that God abolished or canceled the Law of Moses outright. Yet many Christians reduce the Law to a few select commandments—often the Sabbath and dietary laws—to defend a doctrine of replacement. Even in the Old Testament, God gave these laws specifically to Israel, not to the Gentiles (Acts 17:29–30). However, we Christians must not dismiss the Law of Moses as irrelevant. Around AD 50, the Council of Jerusalem, led by James, the brother of Jesus, settled these issues and clarified how the Law functions within God's covenant (Acts 15:1–35).
The new perspective corrects the false assumptions of the old perspective, showing that Jesus and Paul 1) identified as Jewish, 2) faithfully followed and reinforced the Law of Moses, and 3) understood "the Way"—early Christianity—as Judaism restored and perfected. Jesus' parable of the wineskins, then, points to renewal and restoration, not mere marketing slogans. Too often, church leaders speak of renewal and restoration without practicing it, reducing God's transformative work to empty words. To recover the genuine faith of Jesus and his twelve apostles, we must discard the old perspective that is not old enough and embrace the living, reforming reality of God's kingdom.
Law & Grace in Reciprocity
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul declares:
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace (Eph. 2:14–15).
If we read only this verse, we might mistakenly conclude that the Law of Moses became obsolete as a works-based system. Yet the Greek verb translated "set aside" in the New International Version—katargeō (G2673)—combines kata (G2596, "according to," intensifying the verb's force) and argeō (G691, "to make idle" or "inactive"). While some translations, such as the English Standard Version and King James Version, render katargeō as "abolished," a more faithful reading conveys the idea of "suspended" or "rendered inactive." In context, Paul does not claim that Christ destroyed God's covenant but that he suspended the Law's jurisdiction over Gentiles, forming one new humanity without nullifying God's original purpose.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul writes:
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law . . . since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the Law (Rom. 3:28, 30–31).
When Luther translated Romans 3:28 into German, he added allein ("alone") to support his claim that faith alone justifies. Yet Paul shows that we uphold the Law of Moses by sharing the same trust in God that Abraham and Moses exhibited. True faith does not nullify the Law but fulfills its purpose, aligning the believer's heart with God's righteousness. Justification by faith, therefore, does not free us from obedience; it transforms obedience into an act of love, rooted in the same covenant fidelity that sustained Israel's patriarchs.
What scholars call the "new perspective on Paul" is more accurately covenantal nomianism or sworn lawfulness, emphasizing that Law and grace work together because God's covenants with Abraham and Moses remain the foundation of Christ's new covenant. The author of Hebrews presents Abraham and Moses as exemplars of faith based on the covenant (Heb. 11:8–28). Neither Paul nor the Hebrews could use these figures as models if Law and grace were opposed to each other; their faith demonstrates that obedience and trust in God coexist within God's covenantal plan.
Most churchgoers see Law and grace as total opposites. They assume that the new covenant means God now overlooks sin because of his grace. However, the definition of grace (Greek: charis, G5485) shows that God provides a way to reconcile our sins without paying the penalty of death (Rom. 6:23). Jesus, being "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), bears that punishment on the cross, opening the path for forgiveness. In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul testifies:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole" [Deut. 21:23]. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Gal. 3:13–14).
Therefore, God both imputes and imparts his righteousness to us, just as he declares Abraham "righteous" because of his faith (Rom. 4:3). The old-perspective theologians affirm imputed righteousness but reject the idea of imparted righteousness. The more ancient new perspective affirms that God imputes Jesus' righteousness to sinful people. Yet, it differs from the old perspective because an immoral person can and does grow into righteousness through God's transforming work.
The Greek word for "law" is nomos (G3551), from which we get nomianism and antinomianism. Though "legalism" and "nomianism" sound alike, they differ in key ways. To call someone "legalistic" is to condemn devotion to God's commands, while calling someone "law-abiding" honors faithful obedience. The old perspective trains churchgoers to rebuke believers for following Scripture too closely. The new perspective teaches a different truth: Christian Gentiles stand as law-abiding citizens alongside Jewish believers in Jesus, united in covenant faithfulness. This point shines brightest in the seven New Testament warnings against lawlessness, especially Paul's picture of the antichrist as the "man of lawlessness" (2 Thess. 2:3). What law would Paul—a Jewish teacher—mean if not the Law of Moses? The Greek word for "lawless" is anomos (G459, literally "no law"). The conclusion is clear: a Christian cannot walk upright in God's kingdom apart from the Law. Paul echoes this truth:
The law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the Law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all (Rom. 4:15–16).
Heaven forbid we call God lawless like the devil! God's holiness sustains creation itself, his justice orders the world, and his commands shape our path toward true righteousness.
Completion of the Law
Let us reflect on Paul's letter to the Roman church, where he instructs:
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the Law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law (Rom. 13:8–10).
Paul employs the Greek verb plēroō to describe how love "fulfills" or "completes" the Law. God's steadfast love (agapē, G26) reveals the true meaning and intent of the Law of Moses. To love one's neighbor is to bring the Law to completion—a truth repeatedly affirmed in the New Testament (Matt. 19:19, 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8). Many Christians assume this command belongs only to the New Testament's "covenant of grace," contrasted with the Old Testament's "covenant of works." Yet Moses first declared it when God commanded Israel, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD" (Lev. 19:18).
Conclusion
Law and grace are not opposed to each other; they function together in God's plan for salvation and human flourishing. The Law of Moses reveals God's character and sets the standard for how humans should live, showing both his holiness and our shortcomings. It exposes sin and points to our need for mercy, yet it does not save us on its own. Grace, fully revealed in Jesus Christ—through his life, death, and resurrection—removes the penalty of sin and frees us from condemnation under the Law.
By God's grace, believers receive the strength to obey the Law, not to earn salvation, but to live in a way that honors God and reflects his kingdom. Together, Law and grace guide Christians into a life of faith, righteousness, and transformed hearts, showing that obedience flows not from fear of punishment but from love for God. This harmony between Law and grace was at the heart of first-century faith, where Jewish and Gentile believers learned that God's covenantal promises call for both reverence and response.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of heaven and earth. You raised Jesus from the dead and fulfilled your covenant of grace. In him, we are free from sin and have new life. By your Spirit, help us follow your will and display your mercy. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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