Wine in the Bible?
In a previous question, numerous Christians noted that the 150 gallons of wine Jesus made at Cana was not fermented. Please address the following points below.
1. Every translations calls it wine, not juice. It the word meant grape juice, the translators would have used that word. None do.
2. People get drunk off wine in many places in the bible. The very first thing Noah does after leaving the ark is plant a vineyard, make wine, get drunk and pass out naked. (Genesis (:20-21). Lot gets so drunk on wine that both his daughters end up raping him over the course of two nights. (Lot 19:30-36)
There are many references to drunk people in the bible from wine (not grape juice).
So what is you case that the 150 gallons of wine Jesus made for this party was non-alcoholic, besides the fact it makes you uncomfortable?
Mim:
Yes, the did have a different word.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_in_the_bible
Tagged with: alcohol • christians • drunk on wine • genesis • grape juice • jesus • noah • places in the bible • previous question • translations • translators • wikipedia • word none
Filed under: All Things Wine
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The real question is what wine di He make. Consider the following…
OLD TESTAMENT HEBREW WORDS FOR WINE
"yayin" — It is a general term for grape beverages and includes all classes of wine, non-alcoholic or alcoholic; unfermented, in the process of fermentation and fermented. (Proverbs 31:4) The context will show whether it is alcoholic wine or not. Yayin, when used properly was always diluted with water.
"shekar" — It is the word for strong drink, unmixed wine. The 1901 edition of THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA says, "Yakin, wine, is to be distinguished from Shekar, or strong drink. The former is diluted with water; the later is undiluted." Shekar was not diluted with water." (see Numbers 28:7)
"Tirosh" — This word refers to fresh grape juice. It is referred to often as new wine or sweet wine. (see Proverbs 3:10; Deuteronomy 7:13)
NEW TESTAMENT GREEK WORDS FOR WINE
"oinos" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word yayin. It is a general term for grape beverages and includes all classes of wine, non-alcoholic or alcoholic; fermented or unfermented. The context has to be used to determine whether the drink was intoxicating or not. (Luke 10:34; Ephesians 5:18). Oinos, when used properly was always diluted with water.
"sikera" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word shekar. It is the word for strong drink, unmixed wine. (Luke 1:15)
"gleukos" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word tirosh. Dr. Paul Dixon says "It refers to fresh wine, a new wine" or freshly squeezed grape juice.
Remember the Hebrew word "yayin" and the Greek word "oinos" that we looked at earlier? These were the companion words for wine whether fermented or unfermented. In fact, whether fermented or not, it was MIXED WITH WATER.
Norman Geisler, former Dean of Liberty Center for Christian Scholarship, Liberty University, has written: "Many wine drinking Christians today mistakenly assume that what the New Testament meant by wine is identical to wine used today. This, however, is false. In fact, today’s wine is by Biblical definition strong drink, and hence forbidden by the Bible. What the Bible frequently meant by wine was basically purified water," purified by adding some alcoholic wine. The Holman Bible dictionary says, wine was also used as a medicine and disinfectant.
Geisler goes on to say, "Therefore, Christians ought not to drink wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages for they are actually strong drink forbidden in Scripture. Even ancient pagans did not drink what some Christians drink today."
All alcoholic beverages used in our culture fall under the biblical classification of STRONG DRINK and are therefore forbidden. The least ratio of water to wine mixture used in Bible times was 3 parts water to 1 wine. That produced a sub-alcoholic drink that was 2.5% to 2.75% alcohol. Normally, the ratio was even higher, up to 20 to 1. Their is NO BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANS DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF OUR DAY! What early believers drank was sub-alcoholic by today’s standards. Pastors and deacons were cautioned to steer around even the sub-alcoholic stuff (I Timothy 3:3 & 8).
Elder Greg
SFCU
It was fermented wine and those ones that got drunken sinned and will be judge for it by God. The bible says don’t drink to drunkenness. It does not say not to drink.
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.
Bible twisters say those things. The governor of the wedding said himself that "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
And others.
John 2:9-11 (in Context) John 2 (Whole Chapter)
# Acts 2:15
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Acts 2:14-16 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter)
# Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Romans 13:12-14 (in Context) Romans 13 (Whole Chapter)
# 1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
1 Corinthians 5:10-12 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 5 (Whole Chapter)
# 1 Corinthians 6:10
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
It was wine. Just don’t drink habitually. (One should have self control when one becomes more mature.) <’)))><
My personal concern is NOT that the wine was real, fermented wine, but that it simply wasn’t GOOD wine. No good wines have ever come out of that region, and the 150 gallons you mention were clearly VERY young, immature, low on tannins, obnoxiously fruit-forward and wouldn’t have scored above a ‘70′ from Wine Spectator.
Not taking the side that it was juice, the time element could have kept it from fermenting. But there is nothing to keep the rest of the wine mentioned in the bible from being fermented.
Rev. Neil
when the bible was being written they did not have a separate word for wine as separate from grape juice. some times it is clear that the grape juice was fermented other times it could be simply grape juice. in Israel grape juice would have fermented quite quickly but its unlikely it would have been any thing like the wine we buy today.
There is nothing in the Bible against drinking wine or alchohol, what the Bible is against is getting drunk. Wine drank in moderation is ok in the Bible.
It was wine, and it had alcohol as we think of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is not sin. Drunkenness is sin.
And like all sins, it is forgiven by believing the Gospel, and only by believing the Gospel.
It was wine.
It was wine.
The truth does not make one uncomfortable unless they are afraid of it. Many have been told a lie and refuse to believe anything else because of the abuses they have seen. People can die by drinking too much water but most people do not see much of that. So they are not afraid of what it can do.
My parents were once grape farmers. Grapes will rot or ferment depending on the conditions. They will not stay grape juice very long. Grape juice is like drinking slightly flavored sweet water.
Wine is called the fruit of the vine in scripture.