In biblical times, the concept of a "patch" is most notably referenced in the context of clothing and the repair of garments. The metaphor of a patch is used by Jesus in the New Testament to illustrate a spiritual truth, emphasizing the incompatibility of the old and the new.

Biblical Reference:

The primary scriptural reference to a patch is found in the synoptic Gospels, where Jesus uses the imagery of a patch to convey a deeper spiritual lesson. In Matthew 9:16 , Jesus states, "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result." This teaching is paralleled in Mark 2:21 and Luke 5:36, where the same metaphor is employed.

Context and Interpretation:

In the cultural context of the first century, clothing was a valuable commodity, and the repair of garments was a common practice. A patch made from unshrunk cloth would, upon washing, shrink and cause further damage to an old garment. Jesus uses this practical knowledge to illustrate the incompatibility of the old covenant, represented by the Mosaic Law, with the new covenant He was establishing through His ministry.

The metaphor of the patch is part of a larger teaching that includes the parable of the wineskins (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37-38). Both metaphors highlight the transformative nature of Jesus' message and the necessity for a new framework to accommodate the new life and teachings He brought. The old structures and practices of Judaism could not contain the new wine of the Gospel without being fundamentally transformed.

Theological Significance:

From a theological perspective, the patch represents the futility of attempting to integrate the new life in Christ with the old legalistic systems. The new covenant, characterized by grace and truth through Jesus Christ, requires a complete renewal of the heart and mind (Romans 12:2). The patch metaphor underscores the need for believers to embrace the fullness of the Gospel rather than attempting to merely append it to their old ways of living.

Practical Application:

For contemporary believers, the lesson of the patch serves as a reminder to fully embrace the transformative power of the Gospel. It challenges Christians to examine areas of their lives where they may be attempting to blend old habits or legalistic practices with the new life offered in Christ. The call is to allow the Holy Spirit to renew and transform every aspect of one's life, ensuring that the new garment of righteousness is not compromised by remnants of the old self.

In summary, the biblical metaphor of a patch serves as a powerful illustration of the newness of life in Christ and the necessity of a complete transformation that cannot be achieved by merely patching up the old with the new.1. (n.) A piece of cloth, or other suitable material, sewed or otherwise fixed upon a garment to repair or strengthen it, esp. upon an old garment to cover a hole.

2. (n.) A small piece of anything used to repair a breach; as, a patch on a kettle, a roof, etc.

3. (n.) A small piece of black silk stuck on the face, or neck, to hide a defect, or to heighten beauty.

4. (n.) A piece of greased cloth or leather used as wrapping for a rifle ball, to make it fit the bore.

5. (n.) Fig.: Anything regarded as a patch; a small piece of ground; a tract; a plot; as, scattered patches of trees or growing corn.

6. (n.) A block on the muzzle of a gun, to do away with the effect of dispart, in sighting.

7. (n.) A paltry fellow; a rogue; a ninny; a fool.

8. (v. t.) To mend by sewing on a piece or pieces of cloth, leather, or the like; as, to patch a coat.

9. (v. t.) To mend with pieces; to repair with pieces fastened on; to repair clumsily; as, to patch the roof of a house.

10. (v. t.) To adorn, as the face, with a patch or patches.

11. (v. t.) To make of pieces or patches; to repair as with patches; to arrange in a hasty or clumsy manner; -- generally with up; as, to patch up a truce.

1915. epiblema -- that which is put on, ie a patch
... that which is put on, ie a patch. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration:
epiblema Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ib'-lay-mah) Short Definition: a patch on a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1915.htm - 6k

4138. pleroma -- fullness, a filling up
... Spelling: (play'-ro-mah) Short Definition: fullness, fulfillment, completion Definition:
(a) a fill, fullness; full complement; supply, patch, supplement, (b ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4138.htm - 7k

4237. prasia -- a garden bed
... Perhaps from prason (a leek, and so an onion-patch); a garden plot, ie (by implication,
of regular beds) a row (repeated in plural by Hebraism, to indicate an ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4237.htm - 6k

2048. eremos -- solitary, desolate
... Here and there, in clefts and basins, and on the hillsides, grade on grade, you
observe a patch of corn, a clump of olives, a single palm' " (, 22).]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2048.htm - 8k

2921. tala -- to patch, spot
... 2920, 2921. tala. 2922 . to patch, spot. Transliteration: tala Phonetic Spelling:
(taw-law') Short Definition: spotted. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2921.htm - 6k

4750. miqshah -- field of cucumbers
... garden of cucumbers. Denominative from qishshu'; literally, a cucumbered field,
ie A cucumber patch -- garden of cucumbers. see HEBREW qishshu'. 4749, 4750. ...
/hebrew/4750.htm - 6k

2950. taphal -- to smear, plaster over, stick, glue
... forger, sew up. A primitive root; properly, to stick on as a patch; figuratively,
to impute falsely -- forge(-r), sew up. 2949, 2950. taphal. 2951 . ...
/hebrew/2950.htm - 6k

The Parable of the New Patch on the Old Garment, and of the New ...
... The Parable of the New Patch on the Old Garment, and of the New Wine in Old Bottles. ...
The new cloth is torn, and a patch laid upon the old that does not fit it. ...
/.../section 138 the parable of.htm

The Tillage of the Poor
... It was 'the tillage of the poor,' the careful, diligent husbandry of the man who
had only a little patch of land to look after, that filled the storehouses of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the tillage of the poor.htm

Scholars of Christ.
... I have read of a poor boy who came to school with a patch on his clothes.
One of his schoolmates singled him out for ridicule and ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon liv scholars of christ.htm

Events of Early Christian Life
... Near one side of Mother's garden there was a patch of fennel. Mother saw the
grasshoppers in the garden but they did not seem to take anything but the weeds. ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter vi events of early.htm

In Reference to Daniel My Answer Will be that I did not Say that ...
... I do not mention Apollinarius, who, with a laudable zeal though not according to
knowledge, attempted to patch up into one garment the rags of all the ...
/.../33 in reference to daniel.htm

The Call of Matthew
... He knows that He is about to bring a new garb to men, and to give them new wine
to drink, and He knows that what He brings is no mere patch on a worn-out system ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the call of matthew.htm

On the Study of Zoology.
... After a time a delicate patch of cellular membrane appeared upon one face of this
yolk, and that patch was the foundation of the whole creature, the clay out ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/vi on the study of.htm

A Peasant's Son
... as eye can reach; marsh and heath and sand, sand and heath and marsh; here and there
a stretch of scant coarse grass, a mass of waving reeds, a patch of golden ...
/.../forbes/life of st vincent de paul/chapter 1 a peasants son.htm

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Lichfield.
... At war eternal, which in man shall reign,. By Wit's address, patch up a fatal
peace, 40. And hand in hand lead on the rank debauch,. ...
/.../young/youngs night thoughts/to the right honourable the.htm

Pauline Enters the Carmel
... Very often, at my uncle's house, we used to play at being two austere hermits, with
only a poor hut, a little patch of corn, and a garden in which to grow a ...
/.../martin/the story of a soul/chapter iii pauline enters the.htm

Patch (5 Occurrences)
... upon an old garment to cover a hole. 2. (n.) A small piece of anything used
to repair a breach; as, a patch on a kettle, a roof, etc. ...
/p/patch.htm - 9k

Clout
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch;
a rag. 2. (n.) A swadding cloth. ... 8. (n.) To join or patch clumsily. ...
/c/clout.htm - 7k

Tears (58 Occurrences)
... Alexander Macalister. Multi-Version Concordance Tears (58 Occurrences). Matthew
9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. ...
/t/tears.htm - 27k

Piece (93 Occurrences)
... 11. (vt) To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces;
to patch; as, to piece a garment; -- often with out. 12. ...
/p/piece.htm - 40k

Otherwise (78 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Matthew 9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly
woven cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away ...
/o/otherwise.htm - 30k

Mends (2 Occurrences)
... (n.) See Amends. Multi-Version Concordance Mends (2 Occurrences). Matthew 9:16 No
one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. ...
/m/mends.htm - 7k

Newly (15 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven
cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some ...
/n/newly.htm - 11k

Unshrunk (2 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch
would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. ...
/u/unshrunk.htm - 7k

Garment (143 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Matthew 9:16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for
the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. ...
/g/garment.htm - 37k

Woven (40 Occurrences)
... 2. (p. p) of Weave. Multi-Version Concordance Woven (40 Occurrences). Matthew
9:16 No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. ...
/w/woven.htm - 19k

What is the meaning of the parables of fasting at the wedding feast, the old cloth, and the wineskins? | GotQuestions.org

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