Topical Bible: Symbols and Similitudes: Bottles

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In biblical literature, bottles are often used as symbols and similitudes to convey deeper spiritual truths and lessons. The term "bottle" in the Bible typically refers to containers made from animal skins, commonly used in ancient times for storing liquids such as water, wine, or oil. These skin bottles, also known as wineskins, are mentioned in several passages, each carrying significant metaphorical meaning.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, bottles are primarily referenced in the context of practical use. For instance, in Joshua 9:4, the Gibeonites deceive the Israelites by using "worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and old wineskins, cracked and mended." This imagery of old wineskins serves to illustrate the Gibeonites' cunning and the lengths they went to in order to secure a treaty with Israel.

Another notable mention is found in Job 32:19, where Elihu compares his pent-up words to new wine needing to be released: "Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin." Here, the wineskin symbolizes the pressure and urgency of unspoken truth, emphasizing the need for expression and release.

New Testament References

The New Testament expands on the symbolic use of bottles, particularly in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 9:17, Jesus uses the metaphor of wineskins to illustrate the incompatibility of old and new covenants: "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will spill and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." This parable highlights the transformative nature of Christ's message and the necessity for new structures to accommodate the new covenant.

Similarly, in Mark 2:22 and Luke 5:37-38, the same analogy is used to emphasize the need for renewal and the receptivity required to embrace the gospel. The old wineskins represent the rigid structures of the Pharisaic traditions, which cannot contain the dynamic and life-giving message of Jesus.

Symbolic Interpretations

Bottles, particularly wineskins, symbolize the capacity to hold and preserve spiritual truths. They represent the vessels of human hearts and minds, which must be renewed and made pliable to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit. The imagery of bursting wineskins serves as a warning against the dangers of inflexibility and resistance to divine change.

In a broader sense, bottles can also symbolize the fragility and temporality of human life. Psalm 119:83 uses the metaphor of a "wineskin in the smoke" to describe a state of distress and affliction: "Though I am like a wineskin dried by smoke, I do not forget Your statutes." This imagery conveys the psalmist's perseverance and faithfulness despite suffering and adversity.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, bottles serve as powerful symbols and similitudes, illustrating themes of renewal, receptivity, and the transformative power of God's word. They remind believers of the importance of being open to spiritual growth and the necessity of aligning one's life with the teachings of Christ.

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Jeremiah 13:12
Therefore you shall speak to them this word; Thus said the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say to you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
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Jeremiah 19:1,2,10
Thus said the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;
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