Alcohol is defiling our nation. By Dr. Charles L. Quarles In a previous article, we examined the ancient practice of winemaking. However, other texts show that the New Testament authors approved the use of wine in moderation (1 Tim. The data which is incorrectly presented, and which I want to address here, comes from non-Christian ancient writers including Pliny the Elder and Columella. 4. The core issue is remaining free and sober-minded to do the will of God. 3-4 extend the prohibition of drinking wine and . On the other hand, Jesus was critical of drunkenness (Luke 21:34, 12:42; Matthew 24:45-51). So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. I learned that avoiding certain things didnt keep me from having fun, probably the opposite, and kept me out of more trouble than I already got into. Do you remember hearing your grandmother talk about bloody flux that children in her day died of? In biblical times, water was often scarce, so wine became a necessity, rather than a luxury. Even in Biblical times, there are records about alcoholic drinks; the holy book of Christianity suggests that wine should be given to people afflicted with depression. (LogOut/ Another question that often arises in regards to wine in the Bible and Christ's consumption is its alcoholic strength. 1. who hath contentions? A careful study of the Mishnah and Talmuds shows that the normal dilution rate among the Jews was 3 parts water to 1 part wine. They had to rise up early and continue until night indicating more than 12 hours. to do in Grand Junction, Colorado :: Wine & Bike Tours :: Raft Tours :: Vineyard Tours, Colorado: Not Just for Beer Miles. who hath redness of eyes? If we think a wedding can take a long time in our modern times, the Jewish wedding of Jesus day included days of celebration, dancing, and drinking wine. * (*download the PDF version of this article for footnotes and references) As we navigate our attitude toward alcohol, we must remember that our freedom is important. These Scriptures teach that alcohol affects good judgment. However, many scholars believe that the wines of that era were probably around 14-16% alcohol by volume, which is slightly higher than the average wine today . Some of the statistics from Mazak, who was one of my professors, are dubious at best. 3. With the exception of the sweet wines referred to above, fermentation continues until all sugar in the juice has been converted to alcohol. 1 We know the fermentation process stopped after a short time, for the skins would be burst after the hardened if it had not. This was the view I was taught growing up. It could also be that by the time they were drinking at 20:1 they were so drunk that they could not taste/notice the dilution (cf. A study at Brigham Young University in Utah found that the word yayin, one of many Ancient Hebrew words used for wine, is used 140 times in the Old Testament. Jesus was around wine a great deal in his ministry, whether at weddings, meals, or the Passover celebration the night before his death. This again indicates a very low alcoholic content in the Jewish wine. They typically diluted wine with large amounts of water before the wine was consumed. Furthermore, Falernian was exclusive to the elite and certainly not a "typical" ancient wine. [] a previous article, we examined the ancient practice of winemaking. He joins us to discuss this topic and why it's not as far-fetched as it might sound. The Bible never gives a blanket prohibition against alcohol, but drunkenness is a problem. According to Proverbs 31:6-7, the influence of wine helps people forget their misery. 7. If the wine was in fact wine and not grape juice, then it obviously had some sort of alcohol content. www.decanter.com/news/46268.html (2002) The Bible And Alcohol, Biblical Studies Foundation. B. Shabbath 77a says that wine that does not mix well with three parts water is not true wine. Do Christians really drink wine to ensure their good health? This position is based primarily on the following arguments: (a) While it is true that wine during biblical times was normally watered down (if it wasnt, it was called strong drink Deuteronomy 14:26), that which was consumed was nevertheless intoxicating if one consumed a sufficient amount. There are two types of Kosher wine: Mevushal and non-Mevushal. There are many scripture references that mention drunkenness or being tempted by wine or drink: When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Genesis 9:21, Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 20:1, Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. Proverbs 21:17, Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. Isaiah 5: 11-12. Then the lower freezing point of alcohol which causes Pliny to marvel at how wine could ever freeze. The consecration of the Eucharist took place at a time where wine was a significant part of every feasts in the society. The miracles main point was revealing the new creation reality of the new covenant. John makes a big deal about the first ministerial miracle of Jesus. It was also the most widely consumed beverage in the Mediterranean world. Part 2 will deal with: www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9605/07/wine.digestion/, Christian History - conversion Apostle Paul, Palestine - Philo, Josephus, Strabo, Aristotle, Jews and the conversion of the apostle Paul, Palestine vs Israel Zola Levitt Dr. McCall, Palestine in the Bible and the Ancient World, Questions about Wine in the Ancient World, Wine Alcohol in the Bible - New Testament, Early Church Catechesis - Catechetical Training, Gnosticism in the 1st Century Early Church. To summarize this first point: there was simple grape juice in the ancient world. In some passages, it was even used for medicinal purposes. and of having a high alcoholic content. We are only given two options, neither of which is to drink alcoholic wine in any appreciable way. Wine Coolers. While some people insist that Jesus drank wine, others insist that he didnt, and, of course, a few Bill Clinton fans insist that he drank, but didnt inhale. 14. They held that both the Bible and Christian tradition taught that alcohol is a gift from God that makes life more joyous, but that over-indulgence leading to drunkenness is sinful. B. Pesahim 108b states that the wine consumed during Passover was 3:1 wine. Jesus distinguished between old wine and new wine. Therefore, we get several occasions where the drinking of alcohol is addressed. Before it was consumed, it was poured into large bowls called kraters where it was mixed with snow or water before being poured into cups (called kylix). New wine could not make anyone drunk even if they had tarried over the wine for three hours. Because sugar and yeast were not yet added to wine, its alcohol content remained lower than modern day spirits. Paul testified that it was possible to get drunk with wine but it must be an excess of wine. whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 20:1, And in Ephesians 5:18 (one of my favorites), Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. American Culture in the 1800's. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. John 6:53-56, Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, Two pounds of wheat for a days wages, and six pounds of barley for a days wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine! Photo credit: Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages. This was very likely the commonly accepted dilution rate among Jews of the NT era as well. 12. Steve, I can tell you did not read carefully. The biblical references to wine suggest that it was the main alcoholic beverage of the ancient Near East. That is, an average drink = 5 ounces of wine = 12 ounces of beer = 1 1/2 ounces of whiskey = 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. . The bottles sent to Rome, though not lacking flavor, were so thick and so sweet that anyone who didnt have a sweet tooth, or a spoon, wasnt able to consume them. In all my reading of ancient writers I cannot remember a single reference to this issue (while I obviously have not read all ancient documents, I have read a good many documents of first and second century writers). Valley, VintageTexas: Searching for Texas Terroir, Edgar Allan Poe: Wine and The most common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning to boil up, to be in a ferment. Others derive it from a root meaning to tread out, and hence the juice of the grapes when stepped on or pressed. Animated speech. In Christ, we are completely free. Old wine would be that wine which has already had what fermentation it was going to gain. What is mom guilt, and how is it different from real guilt? We now know it was bacillary dysentry caused by water. Certainly, it was fermented and had a modest alcohol content. Wine in the bible is spoken of as a blessing in its unfermented state and as an intoxicant in its fermented state. Although Federal law in the US classifies a beverage with 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume as an alcoholic beverage, state laws may differ. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18). Anymore :: Wine in Grand Junction, When in Aspen? Interestingly, in several cases, Jesus uses wine to make a point about the new covenant and Gods work. Another question that often arises in regards to wine in the Bible and Christs consumption is its alcoholic strength. Salem Media Group. I weep for you, as Jazer weeps, you vines of Sibmah. Of course, there are mentions of talking and having honorable speech and whole Proverbs passages about staying away from certain kinds of women. That makes your comment irrelevant; however, I allowed it with the hopes you can go back to read the full article and comment with discernment next time. There is ancient evidence that non-alcoholic drinks were still called "wine." In ancient times drinks were called "wine" that ranged anywhere from . Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:34. However, Scripture does not necessarily forbid a Christian from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. This shows us that the word new wine (oinos) describes what we call grape juice pressed from the grapes. More on the archaelogical side of things: Patrick E. McGovern, Stuart J. Fleming & Solomon H. Katz: "The Origins and Ancient History of Wine", Food and Nutrition in History and Anthropology, Routledge, London, New York, 1996. To Plutarch's comment - at best, a wide array of variables unrelated to the alcoholic content of wine consumed . Plus, for people who have been drinking wine for a few days, their senses are a little dulled, and they cant as easily discern good wine. New Testament wine (by which I mean the wine ordinarily consumed in the New Testament world) was significantly different from many modern alcoholic beverages. Can Christians drink alcohol? The sugar of grape juice can only ferment to 3 or 4% alcohol with wild yeast airborne yeast. John 2:10). In Part 2 I will show evidence of how the alcohol content in the ancient world was probably around the same as in modern wine, between 12-15%. Well water was common, the collection of rain water for drinking was common - the Bible has numerous examples of people drinking water. This bold claim is precisely the opposite of . (d) Jesus would never do anything that would encourage sin and providing intoxicating wine would have encouraged drunkenness. Heres What You Can Do About It. Culinary School of the The danger of drinking water alone raises another point. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus drank wine (Matthew 15:11; Luke 7:33-35). 16. Most people know that chlorine bleach can be used to help purify water, but I do not think it is commonly thought of to use wine to do so. Dr. Daeschel is a professor of food microbiology at Oregon State University. A 2:1 or 3:1 ratio was not unusual. History and archeology also show that in ancient times alcoholic wines were commonly diluted before drinking. Your branches spread as far as the sea they reached as far as Jazer. Wine in Aspen :: Falernian, for example, was a highly-prized wine available to the upper classes with a bulldozing 16% alcohol content. Scripture warns us to avoid drunkenness, the danger of living for our own pleasure in drunken parties (Romans 13:13-14). At the same time, Paul uses oinos when he says, "Do not be drunk with wine" (Eph.5:18). 2) The second position is that THE WINE WAS INTOXICATING. Today we have no alcoholic beverage that is so low in alcohol that it would take all day to make one inflamed. Anacreon called unmixed wine a Scythian draught. Scythians ranked with primitive cannibals as the most barbaric of peoples. For example, Paul, when writing to Timothy advises: To Timothy my true son in the faith Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses 1 Timothy 5:23. Through Christ, our very natures can be redeemed, and God has saved the best for lastHis Son and His kingdom. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Eph. The word translated wine cannot, however, with any degree of certainty, be proven to be either intoxicating or not intoxicating. Christians would not drink wine nor any other alcoholic drinks were it not for the mood altering effects. Although the principles of distillation were known in the ancient Orient, the distillation of liquor, a much younger art than the fermentation of beers and wines, is believed to date from the 11th century in Europe. 1 The Jews depended on the yeast and sugars in the grape itself to produce the alcohol. Church History 101 The second FLSB article begins. On this point there can be little argument; it is certain that people in the ancient world drank grape juice, and oinos was sometimes used to refer to fresh, non-alcoholic wine. Of the 23 times the word shekar appears in the Hebrew Bible, in all but two passages, it is combined with yayin, "wine," either as a word pair or in poetic parallelism. Joy and gladness are gone from the orchards and fields of Moab. People around the world drink dirty water everyday - they do not die - they just live with parasites. Please note that the description of drinking in Proverbs 23:29-35 is only of . However, other texts show that the New Testament authors approved the use of wine in moderation (1 Tim. Like many items of debate, people often use passages in the Bible to move an argument in their direction, even when their chosen reference is laden with ambiguity. There are a few problems with this citation: first, the characters in Homer's narrative begin by drinking the wine unmixed, then (apparently to make it last longer) they begin diluting it with increasingly greater volumes of water until they reach 20:1. However, I do have "an axe to grind." Drunkenness leads to bad decisions that have consequences. Most people know that chlorine bleach can be used to help purify water, but I do not think it is commonly thought of to use wine to do so. Pliny does say that this Maronean wine is famous for "its strength and unconquerable body," and can be diluted 8:1 without losing its "bouquet, and [it] improves with age." How did ancient Israel make wine? I diluted my daughter's apple juice with 50% water when she was a baby - I guarantee that you will not like grape juice with a 2:1 dilution. New wine is that wine that has not had a chance to ferment. The wine was of such poor quality that when Arab tribes took over Israel in the Moslem Conquest of 636, putting a stop to local wine production for 1,200 years, disappointment didnt exactly ferment. Going into a liquor store and requesting the finest bottle of Israeli wine isnt something many people do. Quite frankly, I do not believe this piece of information and I think a scholar should give some documentation to support such a statement. Are You Actually a Christian Apatheist? Historical data concerning the making and use of wine by the Jews and other nations in the Biblical world indicate that it was (a) often unfermented and (b) normally mixed with water. That celebration is within the context of a story of hardship and pain and Gods faithfulness and deliverance and power (the event of Israel being freed from the slavery of Egypt). Contact CH101 Alcohol acts as a preservative, so wine is to fruit juice as yogurt or cheese is to milk. This bold claim is precisely the opposite of reality. People usually bring out bad wine at the weddings end. Wine was a staple in the ancient world. I will seek it yet again. Editors Note: In a future article, we will compare New Testament wine to modern alcoholic beverages. 6:9-11). However, It is not clear from the evidence how often mixing was done, how much water was used, or how strong the wine was before mixing. 0.06-0.10 Visual tracking and Coordination. Jesus would have been raised in such a culture. We should be sensitive to diverse perspectives, remembering not to judge Gods servants if they differ on food and drink details (Romans 14:17). 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