ἐπίβλημα
a patch on a garment
Definition
ἐπίβλημα refers to a piece of cloth used to mend or patch an old garment. In the New Testament, it specifically denotes a patch of new, unshrunk cloth sewn onto an old garment. This imagery is used by Jesus in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 9:16, Mark 2:21, Luke 5:36) to illustrate the incompatibility between the new covenant He brings and the old structures of Judaism. The patch is not merely a repair but represents a new, unprocessed material that will tear away from the old when stressed, making the tear worse.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the three parallel passages of the Synoptic Gospels where Jesus teaches about the new and the old. In each instance (Matthew 9:16, Mark 2:21, Luke 5:36), it appears in the same parable about patching an old garment with new cloth. The usage is metaphorical, illustrating a spiritual principle rather than describing a literal sewing practice.
Etymology
Derived from the preposition ἐπί (epi, meaning 'upon' or 'over') and the root βλη- from the verb βάλλω (ballō, meaning 'to throw' or 'to put'). Thus, ἐπίβλημα literally means 'something thrown upon' or 'a piece put on.' It is a compound noun that vividly conveys the action of applying an external piece to cover a hole or weakness.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is central to Jesus' parable about the new covenant. It illustrates the fundamental incompatibility between the new life and forgiveness offered in Christ (the new, unshrunk cloth) and the old system of the Mosaic law and tradition (the old garment). Attempting to merely patch the old system with Jesus' teachings would result in failure and greater damage, emphasizing the need for a completely new spiritual reality (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In the 1st-century context, clothing was a valuable commodity, and mending was common. Listeners would understand that new, unprocessed (unfulled) cloth would shrink significantly when first washed. Sewing such a patch onto an old, pre-shrunk garment would cause the patch to pull away and tear the old fabric when it shrank, ruining both. This everyday knowledge gave the parable its powerful, immediate impact.
ῥάκος (rhakos, G4470) — a 'rag' or 'torn piece of cloth,' often the old garment being patched, whereas ἐπίβλημα is the new patch applied to it.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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