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Jesus' Promise of New Wine in Kingdom

Jesus' promise to drink "new wine in the kingdom of God" is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, specifically Mark 14:25 and Matthew 26:29, and is spoken during the Last Supper. In Mark, Jesus states, "Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God" [1]. Matthew's account is similar: "But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom" [2]. This declaration points to a future eschatological banquet, symbolizing the full establishment and consummation of God's Kingdom [13, 15].

The imagery of wine and vineyards is deeply rooted in biblical tradition. The vine was one of the most important products of Palestine, cultivated extensively by the Jews, with its origins traced back to Noah in Genesis 9:20 [4, 5]. Wine itself was seen as a gift from God, bringing cheer and fostering fidelity and mutual confidence among people [3]. The "fruit of the vine" specifically refers to wine, which was a staple in ancient Israelite culture and a significant element in religious observances, including the Passover meal that Jesus was sharing with his disciples [1, 2].

Early Christian interpreters understood Jesus' promise in various ways. Irenaeus, a second-century Church Father, connected this promise to the inheritance being "thrown open" to Abraham and others, implying a future participation in the divine kingdom [8]. Cyprian, in the third century, emphasized that the cup offered by the Lord was mixed with wine, which he called his blood, indicating that the celebration of the Lord's sacrifice requires wine [11]. These patristic interpretations highlight the continuity between the earthly sacrament and its heavenly fulfillment.

The concept of "new wine" also appears in Jesus' parables, where he states that "new wine must be put into new bottles" (Luke 5:37). This parable, along with the one about a new patch on an old garment, illustrates the incompatibility of the old covenant customs with the new reality brought by the Kingdom of God [10, 14]. The new wine symbolizes the spiritual joy and comfort that comes from the love of God and the truths of the Gospel, which are received by those who are "renewed by the Spirit and grace of God" [9]. The Kingdom of God, therefore, brings a "whole new orientation to thinking and living" [10].

The promise to drink "new wine" signifies a future banquet, often understood as the messianic feast, which will mark the final consummation of the Kingdom of God [13, 15]. The term "Messiah" (Hebrew Mashiach), meaning "anointed," refers to the expected Prince who would complete God's purposes and redeem His people [6, 7]. This future feast symbolizes an "eternal fellowship of love and peace" [15]. While the Kingdom of God was inaugurated during Jesus' ministry, its final consummation is still awaited [15]. This eschatological hope is a central theme in Christian theology, looking forward to a time when Christ will fully establish his reign and "feed them as a shepherd his flock" [12].

Sources

  1. King James Version “[KJV] Mark 14:25 — Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
  2. Matthew “But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” -- Matthew 26:29”
  3. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 5, section 2: to restore him to it again; for he let him know that God bestows the fruit of the vine upon men for good; which wine is poured out to him, and is the pledge of fidelity and mutual confidence among men; and puts an end to their quarrels, takes away passion and grief out of the minds of them that use it, and makes them cheerful. "Thou sayest that thou didst squeeze this wine from three clusters of grapes with thine hands, and that the king received it: know, therefore, that this vision is for thy good, and foretells a release from ”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Vine — One of the most important products of Palestine. The first mention of it is in the history of Noah (Gen. 9:20). It is afterwards frequently noticed both in the Old and New Testaments, and in the ruins of terraced vineyards there are evidences that it was extensively cultivated by the Jews. It was cultivated in Palestine before the Israelites took possession of it. The men sent out by Moses brought with them from the Valley of Eshcol a cluster of grapes so large that "they bare it between two upon a staff" (Num. 13: 23). The vineyards of En-gedi (Cant. 1:14), H”
  5. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Wine — The manufacture of wine is carried back in the Bible to the age of Noah, (Genesis 9:20,21) to whom the discovery of the process is apparently, though not explicitly, attributed. The natural history and culture of the vine are described under a separate head. [[1296]Vine] The only other plant whose fruit is noticed as having been converted into wine was the pomegranate. (Song of Solomon 8:2) In Palestine the vintage takes place in September, and is celebrated with great rejoicing. The ripe fruit was gathered in baskets, (Jeremiah 6:9) as represented in Egyptian ”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Messiah — (anointed). This word (Mashiach) answers to the word Christ (Christos) in the New Testament, and is applicable in its first sense to any one anointed with the holy oil. The kings of Israel were called anointed, from the mode of their consecration. (1 Samuel 2:10,35; 12:3,5) etc. This word also refers to the expected Prince of the chosen people who was to complete God's purposes for them and to redeem them, and of whose coming the prophets of the old covenant in all time spoke. He was the Messiah, the Anointed, i.e. consecrated as the king and prophet by God'”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Messiah — (Heb. mashiah), in all the thirty-nine instances of its occurring in the Old Testament, is rendered by the LXX. "Christos." It means anointed. Thus priests (Ex. 28:41; 40:15; Num. 3:3), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Sam. 9:16; 16:3; 2 Sam. 12:7) were anointed with oil, and so consecrated to their respective offices. The great Messiah is anointed "above his fellows" (Ps. 45:7); i.e., he embraces in himself all the three offices. The Greek form "Messias" is only twice used in the New Testament, in John 1:41 and 4:25 (R.V., "Messiah"), and in the Old ”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. XXXIII.--FURTHER PROOFS OF THE SAME PROPOSITION, DRAWN FROM THE PROMISES MADE BY CHRIST, WHEN HE DECLARED THAT HE WOULD DRINK OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN HIS FATHER'S KINGDOM, (part 1): 1. For this reason, when about to undergo His sufferings, that He might declare to Abraham and those with him the glad tidings of the inheritance being thrown open, [Christ], after He had given thanks while holding the cup, and had drunk of it, and given it to the disciples, said to them: "Drink ye all o”
  9. Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 5:37: But new wine must be put into new bottles,.... Such as the disciples of Christ were, and sinners called to repentance are, who are renewed by the Spirit and grace of God: and these are filled with spiritual joy and comfort, as with new wine, arising from discoveries of the love of God, a view of interest in the blessings of the covenant, and an application of Gospel truths and promises. And both are preserved; both these renewed ones, who are preserved unto the kingdom and glory of Christ; and the grace that is put into them, which is a well of living water, springing”
  10. Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 5:36: 5:36-38 a new garment . . . new wine: New cloth shrinks when washed and so tears the old; new wine expands with fermentation and breaks brittle old wineskins. In either case, both old and new are ruined. Both illustrations make the point that the old is incompatible with the new. Jesus did not come to patch up the old covenant, but to establish a new one. The Kingdom of God brings a whole new orientation to thinking and living.”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CUP OF THE LORD. (part 6): this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many, for the remission of sins. I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day in which I shall drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father."(2) In which portion we find that the cup which the Lord offered was mixed, and that that was wine which He called His blood. Whence it appears that the blood of Christ is not offered if there be no wine in the cup, nor the Lord's sacrifice celebrated with a le”
  12. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 7:17: For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne,.... See Rev 5:6; not before the throne, as the great multitude are said to be, Rev 7:9; nor round about it, as the angels in Rev 7:11; but in the midst of it, being equal to him that sits upon it; sitting on the same throne with him, and having the same power and authority, he shall feed them as a shepherd his flock; for this Lamb is a Shepherd, and this great multitude are his flock; whom he will feed in this state, not by his ministers, word, and ordinances, as now; but in person, and with the rich discoveries”
  13. Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:25: 14:25 the day I drink it new: Jesus will have a great banquet for his followers when he returns and fully establishes the Kingdom of God.”
  14. Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 2:21: 2:21-22 Old customs of the old covenant are incompatible with the new arrival of God’s Kingdom. Common experience shows that an unshrunken new patch sewn on old clothing will tear the old cloth as it shrinks. Similarly, brittle old wineskins will burst when new wine ferments in them. Jesus’ meaning was that the fasting of the old cannot mix with the feasting of the new.”
  15. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 26:29: 26:29 until the day: Though the Kingdom had been inaugurated in Jesus’ ministry, it awaits final consummation (see 1 Cor 15:20-28; Rev 19–22). • until the day I drink it new: The final consummation of the Kingdom is pictured as a feast like the Passover, symbolizing an eternal fellowship of love and peace.”
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