Is this true that Jesus drank alcoholic wine as the lyrics, “Cause I heard Jesus, He drank wine”? Some question this. What kind of wine did Jesus drink? Did Jesus drink intoxicating amounts of wine?
The Definition of Biblical Wine
The word “wine” in the Bible is not always alcoholic or equivalent to modern wine. The Bible uses one Greek word for “wine” and “grape juice” which could mean alcoholic wine of varying amounts or non-alcoholic grape juice (1 Tim 3:8; Titus 2:3). The Hebrew word for “wine” is yayin and the Greek is oinos (MT; LXX). Biblical “wine” is grape juice that may or may not have fermented. However, the wine of today has considerably more alcohol than wine in the first century because of modified yeast. The Bible includes a number of examples of unfermented “wine”:
- “Wine” is the blood of the grape (Gen 49:11–12, Heb. yayin, Gr. oinos LXX; Deut 32:14, Heb. chemer; Gr. oinos LXX).
- The vineyard is the place of “red wine” (Isa 27:2, Heb. chemer).
- “Wine” refers to the grape juice from the grapes of the field (Deut 11:14; 2 Chr 31:5, Heb. tirosh; Gr. oinos LXX; Jer 40:10, 12, Heb. yayin; Gr. oinos LXX).
- Scripture describes “wine” that is in the grape (Isa 65:8, Heb. tirosh).
- The grape juice of the wine-press is “wine” (Prov 3:10, Heb. tirosh; Gr. oinos LXX; Isa 16:10; Jer 48:33, Heb. yayin; Gr. oinos LXX).
These references reveal that the word “wine” in Hebrew and Greek often refers to non-alcoholic grape juice in the Bible. Linguistics requires that one begin with the generic meaning and then determine other specific meanings of a word by its context and, or use.
In reading the Old Testament, Bible translations represent six different Hebrew words “wine” for which one word excludes alcohol. This word is asis meaning “sweet grape juice” or “new grape juice.” The word has no reference to alcohol, yet translators have interpreted it as “wine” to avoid interpreting the contexts with nuances and ambiguity. Therefore, the word “wine” does not necessarily mean alcoholic wine in the Bible.
The Bible does not appear to contain one positive statement about intoxicating wine or any such drink. The Bible does include positive words about generic “wine” that is grape juice (Gen 14:18; Num 15:5–10; Deut 14:26; Ps 104:15; Isa 55:1; Amos 9:14; John 2:1–11; 1 Tim 5:23). References to “strong drink” or “liquor” in the Bible refer to cider in biblical translations of sikera, σικερα, according to Danker and Gingrich’s Greek lexicon (cf. Deut 14:26; Luke 1:15; Wycliffe’s Bible).
Ancient Wine and Today’s Wine
In the Bible, alcoholic wine is not like wine today. The sugar of grape juice can only ferment to 3 or 4% alcohol with wild yeast — airborne yeast. For grape juice to exceed 4% alcohol, then the winemaker must add yeast. The yeast added to ancient wines produced between 4–11% alcohol. Alcohol kills these yeast cells and prevents levels of alcohol from exceeding ~10%. Today, wines average 12–20% alcohol due to modern fermentation by adding sulfur dioxide and Saccharomyces (a cultured GMO yeast) to a late harvest of ripened grapes with higher fructose (Winemaker Magazine, Wines & Vines, UC Davis, International Biblical Encyclopedia, “Alcohol in the Church,” Bible Wine). Today’s wine is not like biblical wine in regards to alcoholic content. Due to the later invention of distilling, strong drinks like liquor exceed 20% alcohol for which today’s wine is coming close to matching.
When reading the word “wine” in the Bible, the word may simply refer to grape juice or intoxicating wine not exceeding ~10% alcohol. The reader must interpret the word “wine” within its context to determine if it is alcoholic. However, biblical wine is certainly not like wine today.
Because of the use of the word “wine” in English Bibles, many presume that Jesus drank alcoholic wine. Jesus did not drink modern wine. The methods for fermenting highly-alcoholic wine had not yet been invented. Jesus’s opponents did accuse Him of being a “wine-drinker” from the Greek oinopoteis, because He came freely eating and also drinking grape juice unlike John the Baptist who restricted his eating and drinking (Matt 11:18–19; Luke 7:33–34). These antagonists appear to accuse Jesus of drinking alcoholic wine. However, when the reader considers the wedding that Jesus attended in Cana and Jesus’s institution of the Lord’s Supper, then His drinking of wine is not what many have presumed.
Water to Wine
What about Jesus turning water into wine? Upon reading John 2:1–11 in most English translations, many took the text as stating that Jesus turned water into intoxicating wine at the wedding in Cana, a small town in Galilee (John 2). These scriptures infer that the wedding guests “have well drunk” a large amount of oinos wine. The Greek word translated as “well drunk” is methuo meaning literally to fill or make full, and many times the word means “drunk” depending on the context. Translators correctly render methuo as “drunk” in contexts referring to drunkenness by drinking intoxicating wine or filling oneself with wine (Gingrich and Danker’s lexicon). John’s reference to the guests having “drunk well” and becoming full also implies that the wedding feast was relatively short especially if one takes this word in John 2:10 to mean that the guests were “drunk.”
In this case, Jesus either made more alcoholic wine for those who were drunk or He made more grape juice for those who would have their fill. Which is plausible: that Jesus created intoxicating wine for those who were drunk or that He made fresh “new wine,” grape juice, for those who had drunk well of the previous supply? If one interprets this passage as Jesus making alcoholic wine, then Jesus created more intoxicating wine for those who were already drunk or filled. If one perceives that the wedding guests were simply full of non-alcoholic wine, then Jesus made “new wine” with minimal to no alcohol.
Furthermore, “good wine” was limited late in winter and just before Passover when the wine had aged throughout the year (John 2:13). Jesus providing more aged and intoxicating wine would not have been an apparent miraculous sign. Jesus provided them with “good wine.” Was it “good wine” as though received from the grape press? The making of new wine would magnify Jesus’s sign because this was just before the Passover and before the first harvest of grapes. Therefore, Jesus’s production of fresh grape juice would have been an evident miraculous wonder of God.
The master of the feast depicted the situation that which the guests had filled themselves with wine from the meaning of “filled” of the Greek word methuo in John 2:9–10. A wedding feast may last a day and sometimes more (Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah). John depicted that many would have drunk well of the wine so the guests were full as implied by the Greek word methuo. Being filled with wine tells that this drinking of the wedding feast occurred in a short amount of time within a few hours. The guests would immediately drink the wine that Jesus made. If Jesus made alcoholic wine, Jesus would have made more intoxicating wine amounting to between 120 to 180 gallons of additional alcoholic wine. What would happen if three hundred guests “have well drunk” and then drank an additional 150 gallons of alcoholic wine? Jesus would have given each guest an additional 64 ounces of alcoholic wine. The average person would have drunk another 6–12 drinks of alcoholic wine if there were 300 guests. However, the abundance was part of the miracle like the 12 baskets of bread left over from feeding the 5,000. Maybe the wine was not meant to be consumed immediately.
Even considering a wedding party of a thousand guests who have well drunk, each person would have consumed about 19 ounces of wine. Presuming that this wine contained 10% alcohol because the scenario includes fermented wine and the guests drank it all in one day, Jesus would have aided a thousand people in binge drinking having intoxicated the guests with three additional drinks who were already intoxicated as indicated by the Greek methuo for having “well drunk.” For each guest to have had simply two more drinks, then the wedding would have had at least 1,600 attendees. Despite the number in attendance, Jesus would have presumably contributed a considerable amount of alcohol to those who were already filled with wine. For those proposing that Jesus made highly intoxicating wine like today’s wine, 16–24 ounces would intoxicate anyone at an alcoholic level of 12–15% according to the CDC. Either today’s intoxicating wine or first-century fermented wine appears to be an absurdity at this wedding.
To assume that Jesus made alcoholic wine is to assume that after everyone had drunk all the other wine, then Jesus made more intoxicating wine for all of those who had their fill. The scenario of Jesus producing alcoholic wine appears implausible and uncharacteristic of biblical commands to refrain from drunkenness. If Jesus did make a great amount of fermented wine, He would have aided the sin of drunkenness and excessive drinking and would have participated in a drinking party, which are all condemned by His disciple and apostle Peter in the Scriptures (1 Pet 4:3).
Wine and the Lord’s Supper
Did Jesus use alcoholic wine in the Lord’s Supper? What kind of wine would someone drink at a feast where yeast was thrown out? Many have assumed that Jesus drank wine because many churches have made alcoholic wine a part of the “Eucharist,” the Lord’s Supper. Did Jesus use highly alcoholic wine when He instituted the Lord’s Supper? First, the Scriptures never use the word “wine” in any of the four accounts of Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper. Jesus mentioned the specific content of the cup containing “the fruit of the grapevine.” The passages about the Lord’s Supper make no reference to alcoholic wine. The Greek word for “wine” is never used in Scripture to describe any part of the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during the Passover Feast. What kind of wine did the Jews use during Passover? Jesus used unleavened bread in the Passover because this is also the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Israel threw out all leaven by God’s command including the leavened bread (Exod 13:6–7). The throwing out of the yeast implies that Israel removed the grape juice fermented by the leavening of yeast. Fermented wine was not likely a part of the Passover taught by Moses. Furthermore, Jesus referred to the contents of the cup as “fruit of the grapevine” in the Lord’s Supper indicating minimal to no fermentation even from wild yeast. The intent of the cup of the Lord was not to intoxicate.
What about those who got drunk by drinking the Lord’s Supper? Getting drunk by bringing intoxicating wine to the Lord’s Supper does not mean that Jesus gave the disciples alcoholic wine in the Lord’s Supper. First Corinthians 11:21–22 depicts, “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk [methuo]” (ESV). This passage also uses the Greek word methuo, which can mean drunk or filled (cf. John 2:10). Some ate the Lord’s Supper as a meal so that they were filled and those who drank were also filled not necessarily drunk. However, Paul could have been correcting such intoxication as well. If one assumes that these Christians became drunk in the assembly using the grape juice for the Lord’s Supper, then they must also presume that those drinking brought enough intoxicating wine to get drunk and intended to use such for the Lord’s Supper. The use of alcoholic wine implies that some of these Christians brought intoxicating wine for the church to drink together for the Lord’s Supper. They would also have decided to drink and get drunk from that wine in assembly rather than wait for others. Whether the wine was alcoholic or not, 1 Corinthians 11 neither condones alcoholic wine for the Lord’s Supper nor suggests that Jesus used alcoholic wine for His disciples to commune with Christ in remembrance of His sacrificial blood.
Warnings about Wine
Jesus warned against drunkenness and filling oneself with intoxicating drinks that trap people in this life (Luke 21:34). The Bible warns those who do drink, linger, and look at the cup (Prov 23:29–35; Rom 14:17–22). Christians can and should warn others about alcohol.
The apostle Paul revealed that those who continue in drunkenness will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9–11; Gal 5:19–21). The Greek word translated “drunkenness” literally means “filling oneself” in Scripture (Eph 5:18–19; cf. Rom 13:13). Christ’s Spirit in Galatians 5:19–21 teaches that such “drunkenness” is a “work of the flesh” and “those who are doing such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5 also condemned “wild parties” or “revelries” where any of the lists of sins like drunkenness would constitute a party as sinful and carnal. Paul also revealed in 1 Corinthians 6:10 that drunkards “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Drunkenness and filling one’s body with intoxicants is a sin.
Filling oneself with alcohol is evil and compromises the sobriety of the Christian conscience and one’s heart (cf. Rom 2:14–15; 1 John 3:19–21). Christ’s words and those of His apostles and prophets urge all to avoid drunkenness, and so Christians should do likewise and warn others of drunkenness. Peter warned, “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Nations want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness [lit. excessive drinking], orgies, drinking parties [lit. drinkings], and lawless idolatry” (1 Pet 4:3). The word for “drunkenness” in 1 Peter 4:3 is not the usual word for drunkenness, but the Greek word is oinophlugia made of two words oinos meaning “wine” and phlugia is “to do something in excess.” Excessive drinking is a sin. Furthermore, “drinking parties” is translated from the Greek word potos, which literally denotes occasions that people gather for the purpose of drinking.
The apostle Paul commanded Christians to remain sober and make no provision to become drunk on any level (1 Thess 5:8). Christ had no part with drunkenness and drinking parties, so His followers must not. According to Romans 14, Christians should not condemn their brother over a drink; although, every Christian has the scriptural example and the foresight to warn against its use and against looking at the cup (Prov 23:29–35; Rom 14:17–22). Solomon warned by the wisdom of God.
Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. (Prov 23:31–33)
Therefore, “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov 20:1). The assertions of positive statements about drinking alcohol in the Bible are private interpretations.
Conclusion
The wine that Jesus drank was not intoxicating. Alcoholic wine is not characteristic of Jesus or any godly behavior in the Bible. Jesus neither encouraged drunkenness nor drank intoxicating wine. No one can rightly reference Jesus to justify excessive drinking, drunkenness, and drinking events. The Bible neither promotes nor supports the drinking of intoxicants. God’s grace compels Christians no longer to continue in any excessive drinking of alcohol because they have been forgiven.
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Rom 13:13–14)
Bibliography
- Jeff Chorniak. “Wild Yeast: The Pros and Cons of Spontaneous Fermentation.” Winemakers Magazine. 2005. <http://winemakermag.com/758-wild-yeast-the-pros-and-cons-of-spontaneous-fermentation>.
- Jean L. Jacobson. “Upsides of Wild Fermentation.” Wine & Vines, 2012. <http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=features&content=98687>.
- “Marking Red Table Wine.” University of California Davis, 2016. <http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/pdf/HWM3.pdf>.
- James Orr, M.A., D.D. “Wine; Wine Press.” International Bible Encyclopedia, 1915. <http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/isb/view.cgi?n=9116>.
- “Alcohol in the Church.” 2016. <http://www.abidingplace.org/features/alcohol-in-the-church.html>.
- Kyle Pope. “Bible Wine.” Olsen Park church of Christ, 2013. <http://www.olsenpark.com/Sermons13/BibleWine.html>.
- Alfred Edersheim. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1883. <https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/lifetimes>.
Related posts:
“Reconsider the Biblical Concept of Drunkenness“
The Breath of God 
I just want to post how refreshing it was to come here and read a lively, respectful discussion between practicing Christians who believe God exists, that Jesus Christ the Messiah is His son, and that He performed a miracle at Cana. After the comments I generally read elsewhere whenever God and His Son are mentioned, it was truly lovely to come here – thank you.
Weddings in ancient Israel often lasted several days. Part of your argument seems to assume that the host’s wine had already been depleted in just one day. This should be supported, not assumed, since your argument relies upon it to claim that Jesus would have been making people very drunk by changing the water to wine at “the last” part of the wedding. The last part was probably several days, not several hours, from the beginning. People would not have been just a glass or two of alcoholic wine away from utter inebriation as you suggest.
they lasted about 7 days, but since the wine had run out clearly much of that time had already been. they were probably in the last couple of days
Unleavened wine, or grape juice, is very sweet compared to the sour wine that was served the wedding guests. When the headwaiter tasted the water that was turned to wine he said to the bridegroom:
“Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now ” (Jn 2:10).
The stone water pots (at the wedding feast) stored water that was used for the Jewish custom of purification. Jesus Christ is our sanctification; and the water that was turned into wine represented His blood shed for the sins of the world. When we drink the fruit of the grape at Communion we are recognizing the washing and regeneration by the precious blood of the Lamb.
He is our Living Water and True Vine.
Just a short point, one of the comments said this: “Those who insist on teaching that Jesus never drank wine (of any kind) are teaching a lie!”.
To say that the teaching Jesus never drank wine is a lie OR that he did drank wine is a lie, is incorrect. I was not there with Him when He drank it, neither was Chris, neither was seattlebruce, neither was Scott, neither was any other person that commented here or that is alive today. All we have to go by is scripture, and the various translations thereof (God promised to preserve His word, not the English language). Thus, we can only base our conclusions on the most plausible scenario.
In light of that, Chris I think you have the most plausible argument. I too cannot see how the Lord would make more alcohol for those whose are already drunk (if the well drunk does indeed refer to intoxication) at Cana. And yes, today’s wine is definitely not the same as then. This is true with many things where people assume that how something is today is how it always was. Peter warned against this: “And saying….for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation”. Be careful when comparing everyday items of 2000 years back with something of today…….a lot has changed
Sorry, my error, I meant to say “SCOTT I think you have the most plausible argument”
Weddings in ancient Israel often lasted several days – another everyday item to be careful that we don’t assume is just like today. The author makes an assumption that the wedding lasted only one day, that the hosts’ wine was depleted over the course of a few hours, and that everyone was necessarily tipsy. For a wedding of several days, this would not be the case. However, to run out of wine with a full day or more left to entertain guests, would absolutely be a disaster as it was considered necessary with meals (though it was often mixed with water, even at the low ancient alcohol percentage). Jesus would not have been making people drunk, as the author suggests, by changing the water into alcoholic wine for “the last” day or days of a several-days’ wedding.
another faulty thing is being implied here by some people. It’s not that Jesus made wine specifically for drunk people. He made wine for the entire wedding celebration-all who were there. And like many things in life, the freedom to choose, or abuse, is up to each individual. If there were drunk people there, and Jesus made more wine, it doesn’t mean he made it so they could get more drunk. It’s like saying god created beautiful women to make sex addicts stumble. It’s faulty logic.
And as the scripture says elsewhere, God tempts no one, but each is led astray by their own desire.
We serve an all knowing, all powerful, a God who is everywhere at once. This God’s wisdom is infinite. He conducts himself in the affairs of men and directs the course of man’s history. Whenever Jesus spoke he used allegories, parables and examples from everyday life so that even the un-learned of his listeners could understand him. Now you are telling me that this all-knowing God did not know enough to have the phrase “juice of the grape” used instead of the term “wine”?
That somehow he could not foresee that the word “wine” would be interpreted by most people as an alcoholic beverage? That this mighty God would be so negligent as to not properly instruct even the un-learned of his flock? So unless I go to seminary and learn Greek and Hebrew I can’t properly understand God’s Word? Nay, but many are full of learning and lack understanding. This is comparable to Jews who practice the tradition of not mixing meat and milk. God forbade the boiling of a calf in it’s own mothers milk, and they took an ordinance of compassion and turned into works to make themselves appear holy. There is no folly in God, and anyone can safely trust in God’s word. Paul said all things are lawful but not all things are expedient. He also asked why should my liberty be affected by another man’s conscience. Who are you to judge another man’s servant? to his master he stands and to his master he falls. I do not drink alcohol casually but I dare not conform God’s holy word to meet my standards.
How would you translate oinos when the word may refer to alcoholic or non-alcoholic grape juice? We can’t avoid that or other subtle differences from translating ancient Greek into English. You don’t have to go to seminary to learn Greek or to use Greek and double-check what linguists assert. By the way, learning Koine Greek is very beneficial to etymology and precision in English. Why create new terms by using Greek and Latin? The word “medical” comes from Latin, and words like biology and zoology are formed from two Greek words. Instead of translating baptisma as immersion or submersion, we now know a biblical Greek term — baptism. Biblical names and titles of Bible books are also transliterated from Greek or Latin.
The accountability falls on translators — not God — and their use of philosophies for translation that are consistent with the Scriptures.
“Now you are telling me that this all-knowing God did not know enough to have the phrase “juice of the grape” used instead of the term “wine”?”
You could say the same thing about every Scriptural word conflict ever – what about Calvinism and Armenianism – Predestination and Free Will. Perhaps God allows some uncertainty so we’ll trust Him, but in the case of drinking and the Church, the ‘pro’ drinking crowd have take it way overboard, and forgotten our weaker brothers and sisters, which Paul speaks of so passionately in Romans 14, and forgotten the idea of in the world, but not of the world, which Jesus so passionately speaks/prays in John 17. I think we’d do well to recall the main sweeps of Scripture, like the call to holiness and being a peculiar people to the Lord, over and above word conflicts and challenges. Romans 14:22 sums up our Christian liberty and responsibility quite well: “Whatever you think about these things, keep between yourself and God.” Not much conflict in those word – pretty straightforward. Right? I also really agree that we need to consider how drinks today are much stronger than in Jesus day, whether Jesus drank wine, or merely was involved making wedding wine, and was at the Last Supper drinking say new wine (or very slightly fermented grapes/grape juice) matters less than that we know Jesus was not drunk, did not sin, and did not cause brothers to stumble. We do well to talk and live like Jesus!
You know, I have read all the comments ,and all make good points. I really don’t feel like Jesus turned the wine into alcoholic wine. The word doesn’t contradict itself and there is just too many scriptures that lead me to believe that turning the water into wine would be contradicting to other scriptures. The bible also says that God is not the author of confusion, but satan is. The bible also says that He would not put more on you than you can bear. For every temptation, He would make a way of escape. I just think it would be foolish to put yourself in a place to be tempted, besides, being a drunkard starts with one drink. I have just seen personally, what alcohol does to families and the lives that are destroyed from it and the damage it does to everyone involved. The bible says no drunkard shall enter into Heaven. I just got one final statement or question, When do you become drunk? Is it after the first drink, the second, is it when you can’t walk, is it when you pass out. Alcohol affects each individual in different ways. I think it was Harvard university that done tests and said one beer affects every individual. So what defines being drunk?
I’m always amazed at how people find new ways to re-interpret God’s Word to meet their own sense of morality. Yes, it is a sin to be a drunkard. Yes a Christin should be sober and walk circumspect. But to say that Jesus drank grape juice at the first communion, well that is just a lie. Historically speaking it makes no sense at all. People love to re-interpret the scriptures based on their own modern lifestyles, mores and conveniences, but unless you were squeezing fresh grapes everyday, drinking unfermented grape juice was taking your life in your hands. There was no refrigeration back then, and fermentation was a way of preserving the grape juice. And to use the scriptures that speak about grapes on the vine as proof that it refers to grape juice and not wine, well that’s like saying the meat is in the cow…but, no one in their right mind is going to eat raw cow meat (which is forbidden in Jewish law), they will cook it first. As a Christian I don’t drink alcohol casually. That is a personal choice because of the perception of drinking. But to conduct communion with grape juice to me is a defilement of Jesus’ Holy Communion.
Chris, You judge me wrongly if you think that I seek to reinterpret Scripture to fit my perspective. My position is to support the Scriptures and gain my beliefs from it. However, considering Proverb 18:17, I must consider both sides interpretation, and yet allow the Scriptures to interpret themselves. I hope you reread and reconsider. I think you miss a fundamental point here. Grape juice has not other word than the Greek oinos, which is also translated “wine.” I think you also miss that if we assume that biblical wine was alcoholic, it is certainly not the potency of today’s wine.
I thought you were making the case for the use of wine that is fermented grape juice, but you find that using grape juice in the communion is a defilement. What do you mean? Are you saying that leavening and fermentation are essential elements to the communion?
Lastly, if you do some more research, you will find that before refrigeration, there were methods of preserving grape juice like boiling the juice into a syrup or placing it in cool water such as a lake. While left unleavened, the grape juice does not exceed 3% alcohol. Such amounts of alcohol do not appear to concern the biblical writers, but rather, the more intoxicating alcohol consisting around 10% that enables drunkenness (Eph 5:18).
It is one thing to advocate temperance and soberness for Christians, an I agree with that wholeheartedly, but to impress upon people that Jesus never drank alcohol, well that is a lie, and I will not accept that. That is the issue I have. Consuming small amounts of alcohol and being a drunkard are not one and the same. People have a tendency to take God’s admonishments for temperate living and turn them into works ( Paul refers to it as ‘will worship’ in the book of Colossians), and then it becomes a litmus test of holiness rather than personal choices. As far as using grape juice rather than wine for communion, well Paul makes it quite clear that the beverage consumed for the Lord’s communion was alcoholic because he charged the Corinthians with getting drunk during the Lord’s supper. At no time did he tell them to stop drinking wine, but rather he explained to them that this was a Holy event to be conducted with reverence for Christ, and that no one should do it unworthily, that is, its purpose was to commemorate the sacrifice Christ made by giving his body(bread) and his blood (wine) for our sins. So if Christ used wine, I will use wine. And when God told Moses to build the Ark, and the tabernacle, and all the utensils for worship, he admonished Moses saying make sure you follow the pattern I gave you. Had Moses varied in any of God’s directions he surely would of been rejected of God. But today men disregard the teachings and examples of Jesus and God’s holy apostles, because they somehow seem to feel their way is better.
This article neither confirms nor denies that Jesus consumed any alcohol, because the Scriptures do not teach that Jesus drank alcohol. Therefore, we cannot presume that Jesus drank alcohol. He certainly does not condone it by word or example. The legalism comes when someone judges others for consuming alcohol. This study makes no such judgments. Like Solomon, I write this article to warn about wine that sparkles in the cup and bites like a serpent (Prov 23:29-35). Proverb 20:1 states, “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Am I wrong for making such warnings? Note that Solomon goes further than “do not taste” when he teaches to not look at wine while it sparkles in the cup. Christians should apply such warnings against admiring any temptation and not escaping it. How does wine bite if we are simply looking at it? How is wine a mocker with or without our consumption of it?
Next, 1 Corinthians 11 cannot mean “drunk” anymore than John 2:10 which is the same Greek word methuo that is translated filled or full. “Full” or “filled” is the meaning of the Greek word methuo. Consider also the parallels between not becoming drunk in Ephesians 5:18 as compared to becoming filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:19. The translators infer drunkenness making it harder for the non-Greek reader to determine for themselves via the context. I have another article posted on this site concerning the word methuo — just search methuo. If we presume that these Christians were getting drunk and not filled in the assembly, we do not have to infer that they were intoxicated from the fruit of the vine provided for the Lord’s Supper since they were also eating to become filled and we do not have to presume that they were eating only the unleavened bread. Furthermore, Paul ate his own meal in the upper room of Troas in Acts 20:11. What other food was there? What other drink did these bring to the assembly? Either way, the Apostle condemned being filled with intoxicants in the assembly as he does in general living.
Lastly, you say that you desire not to vary from what Christ used in the Lord’s Supper. For this, we agree. However, where are you getting your wine? How much alcohol does it have? Has it been fermented with the genetically modified yeast that certainly did not exist in Jesus’ time in the flesh? Does your wine vary from the wine that Jesus drank? Did His wine consist of yeast during the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Jews cast out all yeast in bread et cetera? Drink your wine as Christ did knowing that He did not use wine of high potency — no more than 4%, which is the highest product of wild airborne yeast.
Thank you for thoughts and questions.
You say, “He certainly does not condone it (drinking alcohol) by word or example.” This is very dangerous to claim. You have made an argument that Jesus always used “grape juice” instead of wine, but since the Greek word means both, that is not certain – nor can it be.
What is certain is that Jesus created a miracle at Cana using some form of wine that may or may not have been alcoholic, and that He also chose some form of wine to become His blood. Your statement shows your position on the topic, that is all it does – it is a false statement. Jesus may have condoned drinking alcohol in both the miracle at Cana and at the Last Supper by both word and example. He did not condone drunkenness by word or example. That is different from drinking alcohol.
I feel like the accuracy police, which was not my intent. My intent was to truly investigate the main matter of whether the miracle at Cana consisted in Jesus creating alcoholic wine, and there is a major weak point in your article (the wedding was probably a celebration of close to a week, not one day) that has made me want to caution faulty conclusions and statements like the one you make above.
Thank you for the article – it was good and very useful to learn that ancient wine had less alcoholic content. I had no idea that was the case.
The problem is: NO one knows what the alcoholic content was in those days. It was not measured, not recorded, not handed down. So making any case one the higher/lower alcoholic content is not possible.
The only thing we know for sure is that the bible condemns drunkenness. o argue that it is better not to drink any alcohol so you will not get drunk is almost is illogical as saying you should never eat… so you will not become obese.
“The only thing we know for sure is that the bible condemns drunkenness. o argue that it is better not to drink any alcohol so you will not get drunk is almost is illogical as saying you should never eat… so you will not become obese.”
Rudy, how does this address alcoholism, and the weaker brother teaching of Romans 14? Those matters are not ones of logic or law so much as practical theology (how do we love our brother/sister?) The Lord Jesus answered the skeptic who asked ‘who is my neighbor?’ by telling the practical story of real, sacrificial love of the Good Samaritan. Jesus has a way of blowing up people’s paradigms (including mine!) and that goes for Christian hipster theology regarding seemingly unlimited Christian liberty and how great it seemingly is to drink with our culture, imho. When you go down underneath I-5 and see homeless alcoholics who’ve been shafted by this culture’s drink and party mentality, you realize that hey, maybe the mindset that we can just drink and become buddies with the world, while we reach them, just doesn’t work in many (tens of millions of cases…) What then? That is an ultimately practical and sacrificial question. Will we love our neighbor? But Lord, who is our neighbor? it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal. 5:1) but in that freedom we lay down our lives, to love Jesus, to love others. That is the way of the cross – and it is beautiful, as are the feet of them who bring good news! (Isaiah)
Simple: don’t judge the brother who sees no problem with a glass of wine during a meal or at the end of a long day.
Don’t invite others in your home and offer them wine.
Problem solved.
But along the same line, how do treat an obese believer when he is in your home? Do you offer a five course meal? Do you eat a three scoop bowl of ice cream in his presence?
Rudy: “Problem solved.” Your suggestions are sound. I wish Christians would behave with such discretion. There is a trend among churches to have drinking events, and keggers in parking lots. I strongly advocate that it is very unwise for the churches to be doing this, with some specious argument that it will help them reach the world for Christ.
I argue against “Trunk or treat” – if the displays are just as gruesome as you see at people’s homes. Blood, zombies, witches…
Challenged last year to use biblical figures and scenes – and there was no David and Goliath in the bunch…
“I argue against “Trunk or treat” – if the displays are just as gruesome as you see at people’s homes. Blood, zombies, witches…
Challenged last year to use biblical figures and scenes – and there was no David and Goliath in the bunch…”
Agreed. Good for you. Excessive candy is also a bad lesson of Halloween. Like your mention of gluttony and obesity earlier in the thread. I like folks that call it a Harvest Festival and focus on Biblical stories. Nov. 1 after all is traditionally All Saints day…so why should we give in to this dark evil tendency in the culture?
For the same reason people bring in praise groups and instrumental music: to appeal to the world in their ways rather than Gods way.
And please, don’t argue from extremes. That makes no sense.
“And please, don’t argue from extremes.”
Please Rudy – really? Approx. 10% of those who drink will become problem drinkers or alcoholics. That’s 15-20 million Americans, and many more 10s of millions of people across the world – and we’re not even talking about the massive impact of alcoholic family systems. Have you studied the problem of alcoholism, to call it an extreme argument? This is a massive swath of humanity that Jesus died for. Yes sir, I will argue for them, and I fight for them on an ongoing basis.
Once again, this is not an argument for drunkenness. What matters here is whether we take from the text or out in the text of the Bible.
You will have a hard time arguing against Deut. 14.
I understand about alcoholism. But that’s not the issue. I understand about joining the world. But that’s not the issue.
I argue for “rightly dividing” the word. I argue against made-up explanations.
Rudy you said: “Once again, this is not an argument for drunkenness. What matters here is whether we take from the text or out in the text of the Bible.
You will have a hard time arguing against Deut. 14.
I understand about alcoholism. But that’s not the issue. I understand about joining the world. But that’s not the issue.
I argue for “rightly dividing” the word. I argue against made-up explanations.
I argue for rightly applying and doing the Word. (1 John 3:18) You called my argument extreme. All I’ve done is highlight the practical out-workings of the issue for the churches. Having keggers and drinking events strikes me as massively insensitive and downright unloving toward alcoholics – if people would care to think about it. Is this extreme? You mention you understand about alcoholism. If you truly understand about alcoholism, know it’s dark reach, understand how the devil uses it to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), then you wouldn’t call my emphasis on it extreme. Perhaps your use of the word extreme is an argumentation tactic – but what I see it as, candidly, is an ad hominem attack, because you’re trying to minimize my comments. Why do that? Why attack me as extreme, when all I’m doing is pointing out the practical ramifications of this topic. And those ramifications are very practical and very real. There is nothing extreme (in the negative sense) with understanding where our struggling brothers and sisters are coming from. Have you worked with alcoholics – in recovery? I have for many years. There are believers much more involved than I am – I call that extreme faith – but not the negative extremism you blithely leveled against me.
BTW – I never said you were arguing for drunkenness Rudy, just that you may not have considered the consequences of this issue fully on a wide swath of humanity. Duet. 14 needs to be balanced with Romans 14 – and to not do so is to not rightly divide the Word of God.
Not trying to minimize any arguments. Pointing at the number of people having alcohol problems really has nothing to do with the conversation. I can point out that less people suffer from alcohol related problems than people suffering from obesity because of bad food choices. Those bad choices can lead to some of the same problems as people with alcohol problems.
Neither number is important.
What does matter, however, is the way in which the Bible is used in this argument. Whatever the level of alcohol in the wine Jesus made, people could still get drunk. Whatever the alcohol content of the wine and “strong drink” in Deuteronomy, people were told they could buy that with the money received from the selling of their tithes – and the command re drunkenness was not negated by that option.
Romans and Deuteronomy do not cancel each other out. There is a perfect balance. I have my personal freedom and all the obligations that go with that, and all the responsibilities that go with being a child of God. Applying that means there is no one who can or should judge me when I make the choice to consume an alcoholic beverage – same as no one can judge me for not being a vegetarian, or do not fast on a regular basis or celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. The Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking…
But the responsibility that I have, is to exercise my freedom without causing offense.
And, fwiw, I do understand the problem of alcoholism – very well, from a personal perspective even.
“Pointing at the number of people having alcohol problems really has nothing to do with the conversation.”
We’ll have to agree to disagree – but the practical theology of ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (Mark 12:31) would seem to support my approach, as well as Romans 14.
“Neither number [obese people or alcoholics] is important.” Baloney – on a practical level this is all about people – people that Jesus died for. Your comments about obesity are well founded an important and the impact on American and developed nations of obesity is something the church needs to address way more. Now if you just want to theologize in an ivory tower, well away from the masses, that’s your choice. It’s not mine, and it was not Jesus’.
“and the command re drunkenness was not negated by that option.” Neither was the clear teaching in Romans 14:22 about Christian liberty to “keep these things between yourself and God.”
“Romans and Deuteronomy do not cancel each other out.” – Not what I said. This is what I said: “Duet. 14 needs to be balanced with Romans 14.” Do you see the word canceled in there?
“I have my personal freedom and all the obligations that go with that, and all the responsibilities that go with being a child of God.” Absolutely, and according Romans 14, one of those responsibilities is toward the weaker brother, and to ‘keep these things [freedoms] between yourself and God.’ Does the Word not say this? Does it not mean what it says?
“Applying that means there is no one who can or should judge me when I make the choice to consume an alcoholic beverage” – if you consume a beer in front of a brother who is struggling with alcoholism, how is that not disobeying God, violating the spirit of Romans 14:22, and showing yourself to be unloving? How can the love of God dwell in you, if you do not love your brother?
“The Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking…” it IS all about loving our brothers and sisters and God – I’m sure you won’t disagree with that! Part of that is modifying my behavior – out of love for God and fellow men and women. How is that judgmental (or say – ‘extreme’)? That is discretion and loving God for loving us first – that’s exactly what that is.
“But the responsibility that I have, is to exercise my freedom without causing offense.
And, fwiw, I do understand the problem of alcoholism – very well, from a personal perspective even.” Here we agree. Perhaps the out-working of this, the practical application is where we disagree. I wish you all the best, and prayers up for you Rudy as you deal with alcoholism in your context.
i have mentioned time and again that my drinking a glass of wine with a meal or after a long day is my exercise of the freedom that God has given me. With that freedom, I have stated again and again, comes the responsibility towards my fellow believers.
In the argument about how to or not to use Scripture, numbers are not important. To help with that statement, “Billions now living will go to hell.” Their particular sin does not matter. Those who do not believe are condemned already (The not so often quoted John 3:17-19)
So I should not worry about their particular sin as much as I should worry about their believing in Jesus as the greatest gift from God – and all that comes with that.
It does not matter whether it is one or billions. Billions do not mean anything to me (One death is a disaster, one million deaths is a statistic).
I have 2 siblings who are alcoholics, a (now deceased) brother-in-law who was addicted to drugs. So I am very well aware of what is involved! Neither of my siblings are believers, and yet, I do not serve them any alcohol, under any circumstances.
But through this all, we have to remember that one disaster does not allow me to mis-interpret the Bible! And that is what I have seen happening in this discussion.
Missionaries from the Church of Christ came to the Netherlands in the late 40’s, early 50’s and their message was: Do not drink. Do not smoke. Do not dance. Do not swim in mixed groups.
Was that the best they could do for a lost world??
“that it is better not to drink any alcohol so you will not get drunk is almost is illogical as saying you should never eat… so you will not become obese”………except that logically you must eat, otherwise you die; logically you do not have to drink alchohol, you won’t die if you don’t.
I do not have a problem with obesity. Still, after 40 years, weigh the same as I did after I graduated from college.
So when I eat cake, I do not have to worry. My friend, however, who does have the obesity issue, should not eat cake. Should I therefore stop eating cake? Or, using common sense, not invite my friend to come over for a piece of cake?
Should we forbid cake to be brought to potlucks? Surely not!
So, just as I do not ask fellow believers over to the house for a glass of wine, I do not place my obese friend in a similar situation.
I don’t serve wine (or other alcoholic beverages) to people who have to leave my house at the end of the evening.
It’s like decades ago, when believers thought playing cards was sinful. If you think so, I won’t ask you to come over.
“I feel like the accuracy police, which was not my intent. My intent was to truly investigate the main matter of whether the miracle at Cana consisted in Jesus creating alcoholic wine”……
And, what was your finding?
Chris, you’ve called Scott a liar twice now – and the Scriptures are very clear that lying and being a liar are serious, and in fact that’s a serious charge. Are you just trying to be melodramatic, or are you actually actually accusing Scott of lying outright? You can disagree with Scott, without accusing him of lying! You can say, ‘what you’re claiming isn’t true’ without accusing him of being a liar. We know this, Jesus did not sin, did not stumble his brothers and sisters to sin, was in the world, but not of the world, and was full of grace and truth.
Those who insist on teaching that Jesus never drank wine (of any kind) are teaching a lie! On the other hand, those who teach Jesus did drink wine are correct – because He did.
Nothing wrong with that conclusion – the texts speak for themselves.
That the act of drinking wine (and strong drink) was allowed in the Old Testament is also a fact. It was even allowed as a part of the sacrificial system. You cannot argue against that.
Those who argue about the alcohol content being high, low or indifferent also have a problem – There is no information on that in the Bible. Starting at Noah’s vineyard, his “grape-juice” was strong enough to get him drunk enough to do something wrong – and caused his son to be cursed!
All here agree that drunkenness is sin. Some seem to want the job of judging the conscience of others. That, too, is sin. Allow each other the freedom to make these decisions for themselves.
Look, no one is advocating inviting someone who has a drinking problem and pouring him a glass of wine. Of course you should help that person in anyway you can, praying with him, listening to him, encouraging him, helping him find help, etc. I just don’t think people should be labelled sinners if they have a glass of wine to drink. I don’t believe the bible says it’s wrong. It says that getting drunk is wrong. And, also, unless the person with the drinking problem reaches a point where he can see alcohol and resist it, he will never succeed.
“I just don’t think people should be labelled sinners if they have a glass of wine to drink. I don’t believe the bible says it’s wrong. It says that getting drunk is wrong. And, also, unless the person with the drinking problem reaches a point where he can see alcohol and resist it, he will never succeed.”
We’re sinners when we make our brothers and sisters stumble. Alcohol is a powerful drug, and all the more so today, than it ever was in Bible days. That means if we choose to drink, we should be even more careful than ever (and the Bible advises much caution related to this), if we care about modeling and discipling our generation and the next, because there will be many there that will become alcoholics, if they do not walk down a different path. We should ponder these things before God, as it is a sacred trust we have been entrusted by God to raise the next generation in the fear of the Lord. (Ps. 111:10)
It seems like people are saying that if you want to drink a glass of wine you should hide it. That seems wrong. If I go to a restaurant and drink a glass of wine and drink responsibly, I think that is a good example to others. You don’t have to announce that you’re going to have wine, but you shouldn’t have to sneak around either.
“It seems like people are saying that if you want to drink a glass of wine you should hide it.”
Not saying that. I am saying that there are millions of alcoholics and problem drinkers in the US, and millions around the world. So how should we Christians interact with them. I don’t think it’s wise to just ignore that reality – do you? It’s not so much hiding it, as it is being quite careful and discrete in your drinking – erring on the side of loving these folks. I don’t think that’s too much to ask in light of Scripture and reality. If you’re at a restaurant, there’s probably no good way of knowing who may have issues there – but I think this bears to whether we should be having ‘drinking events’ at churches – which seem in some circles all the rage. And of course many will decide not to drink at all – especially those involved in ministry to the recovery community, or perhaps with kids, and this may also apply to parents not wishing to make drinking normative in their Christian home. Lots to consider given the reality of alcohol problems, right?
Yes, I like this comment. Awareness and discernment are needed. If we do not stumble ourselves, we do well, but we are required to avoid a drink when conscience suggests we may cause a brother to stumble. Having a glass of wine in a restaurant is not bad, but drinking when someone who shouldn’t would be tempted to join in, such as next to your alcoholic cousin at a family picnic, is.
Additional comment to the above – I thought you were calling out the percentages I cited relating to alcohol related crimes and behavior, when you may have been discussing the % of alcohol in wine that I mentioned. I think it’s clear that it took a LOT more drinking in days of old to get drunk. We’ve kind of streamlined the process, have we not? 2 or 3 glasses of wine today is equal to 10 to 15 glasses of wine of old. That’s a big difference. We’ve exacerbated and accelerated the problem of alcohol, addiction and alcohol related sin because of this. As such, I think it requires that we Christians exercise more caution than ever related to wine and other types of alcohol – certainly not less!
There’s just one problem with the assumption Jesus drankk non-alcoholic wine: botulism. If you don’t let the grape juice ferment enough to make wine, you’ll have bad grape juice and if consumed you’ll become sick with botulism. Grape juice as we know it was near non-existent until the 19th century.
Drinking a glass of wine or a beer every now and again is not sinful, but getting drunk to the point of brain hinderence is because you can’t make rational decisions.
Everything that JESUS does IS good. He is without sin and loves us. Therefore, the wine was good, because JESUS made it, and He is perfect. JESUS loves us, beyond our imagination.
it never says Jesus drank the wine. But it does seem fairly obvious it was alcoholic wine, unless people just don’t want to see it.
“But it does seem fairly obvious it was alcoholic wine, unless people just don’t want to see it.”
There are references to alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine in the Bible. Alcoholic wine in Biblical times referred to naturally fermented wine. The yeast that exists naturally in the grape will result in a limited alcoholic content by today’s standards – 3% at full fermentation. Compare that with wine today of 12 – 18%, using additional manual processing methods. 4 to 6 glasses of alcoholic wine then, is equal to 1 glass today. Now there is also no good evidence at all that what Jesus made for the Wedding at Cana was fully fermented – to be sure it could have been fresh wine having almost no alcohol. At the very least, what Jesus made miraculously at that wedding, was logically very different than what we make manually today as 12 – 18% alcoholic wine. Acknowledging this reality can bring those Christians who drink wine, and those who advocate refraining from wine for many various reasons, closer together. Some of my friends have acknowledged getting tipsy on just half a glass of wine. Well, no wonder, as that’s like drinking 2 to 3 glasses in Bible days. Knowing this is important. It’s also important to note that half a glass of wine is like a single 12 oz. glass/can of beer. So if our goal here is to understand our brothers and sisters who drink, or who don’t drink, we should try to compare apples to apples, grapes to grapes, and understand what these comparisons are.
It’s also factual that there are somewhere in the range of 6 to 8% of all drinking adults in the US that are alcoholics (roughly 12 to 14 million people) and another 50% more than that that have problems with alcohol. Understanding, acknowledging and pondering what responsibility we Christians have toward this massive segment of our population will help those Christians who drink and those who don’t ‘get on the same page’ when it comes to this topic. I think Romans 14:22 is instructive and helps us to understand that while there is Christian liberty, there is also Christian sacrifice on behalf of our brothers and sisters, and for our Lord Jesus.
Let us strive for unity, to be humble and sober for the purpose of prayer.
Amen! Exactly right!
Jesus apparently drank enough wine that he was accused of drinking to excess. In his own words he proclaimed, “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard’” (Luke 7:34). So Jesus was accused of being a drunk.
Let us think about this, because we want to be truthful even if we find ourselves wrong.
(1) If accusations against Jesus imply that he drank enough or much alcoholic wine to accuse him of excess, then the Scriptures record His drinking of much wine.
(2) However, Jesus is not recorded drinking alcoholic wine in the Scriptures. Jesus observed in Luke 7:33-35, “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! ’ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” (ESV) This passage does not imply that he drank wine, but that he ate and drank. Furthermore, this accusation is associated with Jesus’s friendship with tax collectors and sinners. Consider that the accusation includes gluttony, because Jesus ate food. Add that today’s leavened wine at its mildest is not comparable to first-century wine at its most intoxicating as noted by the sources in the above article.
(3) Therefore, Jesus did not drink enough or much alcoholic wine to truthfully imply accusations of excess.