Paragraph 5:36–39
In this paragraph, Jesus used three short parables to explain that he was teaching a new way to live for God. His new way would not fit into the old traditions. People could not combine the old ways with the new. Each of the three parables is introduced with a general statement that is true of everyone.
5:36
In this verse Jesus compared his teaching to a new garment. He compared the traditions of the Jews to an old garment. No one uses a piece of cloth torn from the new garment to patch an old garment. In the same way, people should not simply add his teaching to their traditions.
5:36a
parable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as parable is a general word that is used to describe different types of wise speech. This includes parables, proverbs, illustrations, metaphors, and wise sayings. Here, Jesus used the word to refer to a wise saying.
In this parable, Jesus compared his new way to live for God with a new garment. He compared the old traditions with an old garment.
You will need to read the three parables in 5:36–39 carefully. Then consider how you would describe this type of speech in your language. Some ways to translate parable in this context are:
• Use a specific term in your language that refers to this particular type of wise saying. For example:
symbolic saying/word
• Use a general term or descriptive phrase in your language that includes the different types of wise sayings. For example:
illustration (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
metaphor
-or-
comparison
See also parable in Key Biblical Terms.
5:36b
No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one: The word No one introduces a general statement. It says something that is true of everyone. In some languages it may be natural to introduce this statement with a general word such as “people” or with a pronoun such as “you” or “they.” For example:
People do not tear a patch from a new garment and sew it on an old one.
-or-
You don’t tear a piece off a new coat to patch up an old coat. (Good News Translation)
garment: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as garment means “clothing.” It can refer to any item of clothing a person wore, but sometimes it refers specifically to the outer robe that people wore. In this context, it probably refers generally to any piece of clothing.
5:36c
If he does: In Greek, this part of the verse begins with a phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If he does. This phrase introduces the possibility of someone doing what was described in 5:36b (which no one actually ever does). It means, “If someone were to do this (which he would not)….”
Some other ways to translate this are:
The consequences of doing that would be…
-or-
Otherwise (New Century Version)
-or-
For then (New Living Translation (2004))
he will tear the new garment as well: If someone tears a patch from a new garment, he spoils or damages the new garment. This is a first undesirable result. Some other ways to translate this are:
he ruins the new coat (New Century Version)
-or-
he will have made a hole in the new garment (Revised English Bible)
5:36d
Verse 5:36d describes a second undesirable result of tearing a patch from a new garment to repair an old garment.
the patch from the new will not match the old: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the patch from the new will not match the old is literally “the patch from the new will not agree with the old.” This means that the piece of cloth taken from the new garment will not be like the material of old garment. It will be different in age. It will look different. It will feel different. The amount it has shrunk will be different. (See Matthew 9:16 and Mark 2:21.) Some ways to translate this are:
the cloth from the new coat will not be the same as the old cloth (New Century Version)
-or-
the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment (New Living Translation (2004))
patch: A patch is a small piece of cloth that someone sews over a hole or torn area of another cloth. It means the same thing as the phrase “piece of cloth” in 5:36b.
General Comment on 5:36a–d
You may want to add a footnote to explain some of the meaning of Jesus’ parable. Some sample footnotes are:
Jesus gave them this illustration to show what happens if his teaching is mixed with old traditions.
-or-
Jesus compared his teaching to a new garment. He compared the traditions of the Jews to an old garment. No one uses a piece of cloth torn from a new garment to patch an old garment. In the same way, people should not simply add his teaching to their old ways of life. His new way would not fit into the old traditions.
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