IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please take note that I am an
Abstentionist and not a Prohibitionist.
A Prohibitionist believes drinking of any kind for the NT saint is a sin. An Abstentionist believes that the bible does not absolutely prohibit the consumption of alcohol but for numerous reasons, Christians should abstain from using it. In this view, any amount of drinking that causes one to not be sober in any way directly contradicts those passages that tell us to be sober minded. Also, this view holds that drinking should be done in private and not publicly where your brother could see you and stumble. This view recommends that while it is lawful for you to drink, it is not always profitable so it is highly encouraged to abstain from it. Not out of some sense of legalism but out of love for God, yourself and your brother. Thus, it preaches the reality of the dangers of alcohol and how it can bite you like a serpent (despite it being lawful). Note: While I believe the NT saint has a liberty to drink soberly and responsibly, I do not think this applies to the OT saint. I believe OT saints were prohibited in drinking strong alcoholic beverages. I believe the OT saint could purchase and store strong intoxicating beverages, but when they consumed the wine, they diluted it with water whereby the alcohol content was low. As for Jesus: He made 100% freshly squeezed grape juice.
Brief Introduction:
Some folks think the word "wine" is always in reference to an alcoholic beverage. I believe they think this way because of their culture they grew up in and it has nothing to do with what the Bible says and or older dictionaries say. After studying this topic in the Bible and historical documents (several times), I believe the Bible speaks of 3 different kinds of wines.
#1. Fermented Wine (Strong in alcoholic content).
#2. Fermented Wine Diluted by Water (Low in alcoholic content)
#3. Unfermented Wine or Freshly Squeezed Grape Juice (A non intoxicating beverage).
For the focus of this thread, I want to point out how wine is referred to as grape juice both in the Bible and in our older dictionaries.
Wine is Grape Juice in the Bible:
Wine is the blood of the grape:
Genesis 49:11 says,
"Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:"
Deuteronomy 32:14 says,
"Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape."
(Contrast with bad wine):
Deuteronomy 32:33 that says,
"Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps."
Deuteronomy 32:37-38 that says,
37 "And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection."
The vineyard is the place of red wine (i.e. red grapes or grape juice):
Isaiah 27:2 says,
"In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine."
Note: There is red wine in the vineyard is natural grape juice because the juice naturally exists inside the clusters of the grape. There is no such thing as a natural vineyard full of intoxicating wine. Grapes within a vineyard need to be crushed and interact with the natural yeast in order for it to ferment.
Wine refers to the grape juice from the grapes of the field:
2 Chronicles 31:5 says,
"And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all
things brought they in abundantly."
Jeremiah 40:10 says,
"As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put
them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken."
Jeremiah 40:12 says,
"Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much."
Scripture describes “wine” that is in the grape:
Isaiah 65:8 says,
"Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and
one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing
is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all."
Source used:
What Kind of Wine Did Jesus Drink?
Note:
As for oil in crops:
There is a thing called a Oil Palm:
the oil palm
Wine is Grape Juice in Older Dictionaries:
Wine:
n.
1. The expressed juice of grapes, esp. when fermented; a beverage or liquor prepared from grapes by squeezing out their juice, and (usually) allowing it to ferment.
Source:
Wine | Definition of Wine by Webster's Online Dictionary
(Please click on the link)
1828
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “must” as
“new wine-wine pressed
from the grape, but not fermented.” Note that the unfermented grape juice is here explicitly called “new wine.”
The 1759 Nathan Bailey’s
New Universal English Dictionary of Words and of Arts and Sciences offers the following definition for “wine”: “Natural wine is such as it comes from the grape, without any mixture or sophistication. Adulterated wine is that wherein some drug is added to give it strength, fineness, flavor, briskness, or some other qualification.”
The eytomology of the word "wine":
"Old Irish fin, Gaelic fion. Essentially the same word as vine.
Source:
wine | Origin and meaning of wine by Online Etymology Dictionary
Sources Used:
MYTHS about WINE and ALCOHOL in the BIBLE (Part 1) - Bible Christian