old wine in a new bottle

Meaning

Noun

• An existing concept or institution offered as though it were a new one.

Origin

• A reference to the parable of Jesus of New Wine into Old Wineskins, Matthew 9:14–17, Mark 2:21–22, and Luke 5:33–39:
• : Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
• :: Matthew 9:17, King James Version
• : And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
• :: Mark 2:22, King James Version
• : And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
• :: Luke 5:37, King James Version