A very good article:
Drinking
Ronnie Hoover
Today we live in an alcohol saturated society where it is "in" to drink. We need to familiarize ourselves with the real Bible based, Christian perspective on drinking. Many parents, teachers, Campus Pastors, and even preachers shy away from discussing this subject with their students, hoping that the youth of today will be smart enough to make all the right choices where alcohol is concerned. Unfortunately, most alcoholics become interested in drinking at an early age, and I am certain that these men and women, their lives now controlled by alcohol, did not sit down with a panel of experts and discuss the pros and cons of social drinking. They saw, they tasted, they indulged. Therefore, there is no better time than the present to get an honest understanding of the subject - before it is too late.
What Does the Bible Say?
There seems to be a contradiction of thoughts in the Bible about drinking fermented (alcoholic) wine. Solomon, whose great wisdom gave us the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, declared, Prov 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (KJV) How could he then say, " Eccl 9:7 "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works." (KJV) Did the wisest man of all times forget what warnings he had just given?
God himself gave a direct command to the priests and their sons to abstain from wine and strong drink when entering the tabernacle. Then, after they had entered the promised land, he instructed that the "drink offering should be of wine." Lev. 24:13 Is it possible that our God, who is perfect in all his ways has changed his mind on this subject?
And what about Paul, the great apostle? Did he encourage Timothy to drink fermented wine? Did he entice Timothy, a young leader and officer of the church, to drink wine, when he had just instructed the bishops of the church not to be given to wine? Did Paul, a learned man of the holy scriptures, purposely ignore the warning of the King Solomon and the prophet Habakkuk?
A Deeper Look Into the Word
Many, I might add most, Bible commentaries imply that all wine referred to in the scriptures is indeed fermented, alcoholic wine. They suggest the Bible only speaks against "immoderate" drinking. "Moderation" is used only one time in the Bible and it is not speaking about drinking. These commentaries rely on basically two forms of study about issues like this: Tradition and what I'll call the splitting of ancient words, etymology.
Traditionally, Christians and Jews often drank vintage wines as they still do in Europe... traditionally, fermented wine was used in the Passover celebration and communion... Tradition is a wonderful thing, BUT, tradition does not make it correct, nor does it make it scriptural.
Now for some splitting of ancient words. There are 13 different words translated as "wine" - 9 in Hebrew and Chaldee, and 4 in Greek. The most common Greek word for wine is "oinos" which corresponds to the Hebrew word "yayin," and the Latin word Vinum. (That ought to tell you something.) These words all translate into our English word "wine." In the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Hebrew scriptures of Jesus' time) the Hebrew word for grape juice is translated 33 times as the Greek word "oinos" (wine). It is also used to denote other kinds of drinks such as lotus fruits and dates. (1)
Wine? or Wine? Is there a difference?
The problem is with this word "wine." Some believe that the word "wine," unless used figuratively or qualified by another word or phrase, ALWAYS means the fermented juice of the grape - alcohol. How can we know this to be true? The truth is, we don't know. The word "juice" doesn't appear in the New Testament at all, and only once in the Old Testament. All fruit of the vine - whether it be grape juice or alcoholic wine - is called wine. Sometimes the context makes it clear that the meaning is actually fermented wine. Other times it is clear that the meaning is definitely unfermented wine or juice. The problem occurs when the immediate context sheds no light as to whether the wine is to be considered fermented or unfermented.
Non-Alcoholic Wine
The Hebrew "yayin" (wine) includes all types both fermented and unfermented drinks. (2) Yayin when fermented makes one drunk as in Gen. 9:21-24. There are indeed passages of scripture using the word yayin, which according to the context are obviously referring to the non-alcoholic wines. Isa 16:10 "...the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses ...." (KJV) Also, Jer 48:33 " ... and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: ..." (KJV) Alcoholic, fermented wine doesn't squirt out of the grape freshly placed into the press, only pure grape juice, unfermented and non-alcoholic "yayin." This is the "wine" Isaiah said there was a blessing in.
Was Jesus a Casual Drinker?
The Wedding at Cana:
What about the wedding at Cana? Jesus turned the water in the pots into wine for himself and all the guests, didn't he? Some modern versions of the Bible wrongly translate John 2:10 by stating or insinuating that normally, after the guest were too drunk to know the difference, the host of the wedding would serve the cheap wine. The translators made a mistake by assuming that the wine was fermented. How could they know? Had the wine not just been made? The Amplified Bible translates the passage this way, "When the people had drunk freely..." The Phillips Translation reads like this, "When men have had plenty to drink," thus leaving room for the reader to determine whether he thought the wine Jesus made was alcoholic or not. This leaves room for one to understand that the guests had merely drank so much that they were full - not intoxicated.
Can you really see our Lord Jesus, the Holy One of Israel contributing to revellers? Does not Rom 13:14 say, "... make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (KJV) If Jesus had provided wine for revellers, He would have been in opposition to this warning of scripture. 1 Cor 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (KJV) Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (KJV) Revelling is what college students call, partying.
Jesus is called the King of Kings and Prov 31:4-5 says, "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:"
Some theologians would say that if the wine were not fermented, it could not be called, "good wine." However, history speaks of a drink that was meant for the gods - nectar or ambrosia, the pure fruit of the vine and non-alcoholic! In Cana, the guests claimed that the best wine was saved for the last. Its probable that Jesus turned the water in the pots into the best wine - ambrosia!
The Lord's Supper:
Did Jesus serve alcohol to his disciples at the Last Supper to establish a pattern for us to follow in our communion services?
Can you imagine what Solomon would have said if the wine Jesus served was alcoholic? Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. (NIV) Prov 31:4-5 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. (KJV)
The prophet Habakkuk would have had to remind the son of God, "woe unto him that giveth his neighbor to drink." (this refers to giving with wrong motives.) What about God Himself? When He had said in Lev 10:8-9, "Then the LORD said to Aaron, You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come." (NIV) Also, Ezek 44:21 says, "No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court." (NIV) Surely in the light of these scriptures we couldn't continue to believe that Jesus would have established Holy Communion, an order of worship to take place in the sanctuary, with the use of alcohol. Jesus could have completely destroyed the authenticity of God's Word by setting the New Testament against the Old. Contrary to popular belief, the word wine is not used in any passage concerning the Lord's supper. When speaking of the drink used, Jesus uses only the word "cup." He then tells us, "I will not drink of this (fruit of the vine) cup until that day when I drink it with you in my Father's kingdom." Jesus was obviously referring to fruit juice from the grape vine, and not alcoholic fermented wine.
But Wine is Good for the Stomach
1 Tim 5:23 "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (KJV)
I am not sure of all the medical ramifications behind this passage. I don't see a scriptural problem with using medicines that contain alcohol content. This is a difficult passage, because I know that alcohol is a difficult substance for the digestive system to eliminate.
Regardless, the same thought remains, we do not know if this word is referring to alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.
What are we to do?
We now know that the Bible speaks of two types of wine - fermented and unfermented, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. How then are we to unmistakable determine those times in the scriptures where there is no direct indication of the alcoholic content?
I believe we need to examine all scriptures and determine for ourselves which is most harmonious to the entirety of God's Word which will not contradict itself in any way. If the instructions say not to drink "wine," it is alcoholic. If they say the "wine" is a blessing, it is non-alcoholic. It's as simple as that!
You Must Decide and Take a Stand
At this point the casual, social drinker must ask himself several questions. First, having previously justified my drinking by the scriptural passages of Jesus turning the water into wine and even using it himself in the Lord's supper, how can I now continue to drink alcohol?
Second, am I willing to hear and obey God's commandments and heed his warning to his servants? Do I truly have a desire to put Jesus first in my life and seek first the kingdom of God? Since Rom 14:21 specifically says, drinking could be a stumbling block to my brother, am I willing to give it up completely?
Rom 14:21 "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." (KJV) In full knowledge of these scriptures, why do you drink? to be socially accepted? because it is a drug that makes you feel good? or is it because you are in open defiance against God and his word?
The scriptures have only one word on drinking alcoholic beverages of any kind -
TOTAL ABSTINENCE!!!