ALCOHOL AND THE CHRISTIAN
Seeking the Biblical Perspective
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Seeking the Biblical Perspective
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
What this study is not.
WHAT THIS STUDY IS NOT
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This study is not primarily about the issue of drunkenness. Any and every
honest reader of the Bible recognizes that the Bible is entirely opposed to
drunkenness. We will, however, briefly touch on the subject.
Ephesians 5:18
Proverbs 20:1
Proverbs 23:21
Isaiah 5:22,23
Romans 13:13
Deuteronomy 21:20,21
1 Corinthians 5:11
1 Corinthians 6:9,10
WHAT DRUNKENNESS LEADS TO
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Violence: Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29,30, Matthew 24:48,49
Poor judgment: Proverbs 31:4,5, Isaiah 5:22,2, Hosea 4:10,11
Sexual immorality: Genesis 19:30-38, Habakkuk 2:15
Shame and disgrace: Proverbs 23:33
Financial ruin: Proverbs 23:20,21
Addiction: Proverbs 23:35, Isaiah 5:11
TWO OPPOSITES
Ephesians 5:18
The matter of being “Spirit filled” is different from being
“Spirit Indwelt”.
BEING FILLED
• Indwelling is a one-time act completed at salvation.
• Filling is a repeated act whereby we submit ourselves to the
Spirit’s control and leading.
• Being “under the influence,” then, is the opposite. We are
no longer under our own control or under the Spirit’s
control. We are under the “spirits” control.
• Drunkenness, then, is the antithesis of being filled with the
Spirit. At no time, ever, should a Christian be drunk
because the Bible forbids it.
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
The Three Main Views
WHAT IS ALCOHOL?
Alcohol is a chemical produced by a
process known as “fermentation”.
In every day language, the alcohol
referred to in beverages is called
“ethanol”.
Fermentation is the process where
sugars are converted into ethanol.
THE THREE MAIN VIEWS
Before delving into the matter, let us note the three popular opinions on the Bible’s view of
alcohol.
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The Prohibitionist View: The Bible teaches against the consumption of alcohol. Proper
understanding of the Greek and Hebrew as well as of the context and culture is
necessary to understand that alcoholic beverages are not permitted to believers. The
only acceptable use of alcohol is medicinal.
The Moderationist View: The Bible teaches liberty to participate in light social drinking.
As with anything, consumption of alcohol must be done in moderation. The Bible
strictly prohibits drunkenness. However, Jesus made wine and Paul advised Timothy to
drink wine. The qualification of pastors and deacons allows some light consumption of
alcohol.
The Abstentionist View: The Bible allows it but it is culturally a poor choice in North
America because of the excessive issues related to alcohol. It is best to abstain from
alcohol altogether – forgoing this liberty of mine for the benefit of others. In another
culture or in another time, we would be free to drink it.
THE MODERATIONIST VIEW
The Bible knows only one kind of wine; alcoholic wine. This is known as the
“one-wine theory”. The Bible strictly warns against drunkenness but permits
and even recommends moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages.
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Jesus turned water into wine; John 2.
Paul told Timothy to drink wine; 1 Timothy 5:23
Jesus personally admitted to drinking wine; Matthew 11:18,19
Christian Liberty allows the freedom of choice; 1 Corinthians 10:23-31
All things created by God to be received with thanksgiving; 1 Timothy 4:4
Old Testament believers drank alcohol; 2 Samuel 11:12,13
The Law permitted even strong drink; Deuteronomy 14:26
Solomon condoned the consumption of alcohol; Ecclesiastes 9:7
THE ABSTENTIONIST VIEW
The Abstentionist view is essentially the same as the moderationist view
except that it recognizes the modern evils associated with the consumption of
alcohol, especially in North American culture and on those grounds, abstains.
In another culture or at another time, it would permit it (IE, France /
Germany)
• We should not do anything that makes another stumble or fall;
Romans 14:20,21, 1 Corinthians 8
• We should avoid all appearance of evil; 1 Thessalonians 5:22
• The use of alcohol as a water purifier is no longer necessary, making
alcohol unnecessary.
ASK YOURSELF THESE
QUESTIONS…
Although these explanations sound good, are they Biblically
right?
Do these “proof texts” for moderated consumption of alcohol
fully understand the Bible’s whole view of alcohol?
Do these views properly understand the history of wine and
alcohol?
Do these views understand the meanings of the Greek and
Hebrew words?
THE PROHIBITIONIST VIEW
The Prohibitionist view believes that the Bible strictly prohibits the
consumption of alcohol in any quantity. The word “wine” is used to refer to
more than one kind of drink and a proper understanding of the textual
context of the the historical culture is necessary to understand the Bible’s
position.
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Fermented wine itself, regardless of quantity, is not allowed
There are different kinds of wine
Not all wine is alcoholic
Jesus did not make or consume alcoholic wine
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Semantics.
SEMANTICS
What is “semantics”?
• Wikipedia: “[Semantics] is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation
between signifiers, like words, phrases, signs, and symbols, and what they
stand for, their denotation. Linguistic semantics is the study of meaning
that is used for understanding human expression through language. ”
• The Free Dictionary .com: Semantics is…
• 1. Linguistics The study or science of meaning in language.
• 2. Linguistics The study of relationships between signs and symbols
and what they represent. Also called semasiology.
• 3. The meaning or the interpretation of a word, sentence, or other
language form
“WINE”
M e r r i a m Web s t e r O n l i n e
Oxford Dictionar y Online
“WINE”
Cambridge Dictionar y Online
Wikipedia
“WINE” IN HISTORY
The definition of the word “wine” has remained almost the same for
centuries, except that it’s definition has narrowed to refer strictly to fermented
wine. Older definitions of the word included fermented and unfermented
wine.
• 1955 Funk & Wagnall’s New Standard Dictionary of the English Language
“1. The fermented juice of the grape; in loose language the juice of the
grape whether fermented or not.”
• 1971 New Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language
Must: “Wine or juice pressed from the grapes but not fermented”
• 1896 Webster’s International Dictionary of the English Language
“the expressed juice of grapes, especially when fermented…a
beverage…prepared from grapes by squeezing out their juice, and (usually)
allowing it to ferment.”
“WINE” IN HISTORY
• 1759 Nathan Bailey’s New Universal English Dictionary of Words and of
Arts and Sciences
“Natural wine is such as it comes from the grape, without any mixture or
sophistication.”
• 1708 John Kersey’s A General English Dictionary
“Wine, a liquor made of the juice of grapes or other fruits. Liquor or
liquour, anything that is liquid; Drink, Juice, etc. Must, sweet wine, newly
pressed from the grape.”
• 1748 Benjamin Marin’s A New English Dictionary
“1. the juice of the grape. 2. a liquor extracted from other fruits besides
the grape. 3. the vapours of wine, as wine disturbs his reason.”
“WINE” IN HISTORY
• 1737 William Whiston’s translation of Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews
(originally written in Greek during the time of the Apostles).
“He therefore said that in his sleep he saw three clusters of grapes hanging
upon three branches of a vine, large already, and ripe for gathering; and
that he squeezed them into a cup which the king held in his hand and
when he had strained the wine, he gave it to the king to drink…Thou
sayest that thou didst squeeze this wine from three clusters of grapes with
thine hands and that the king received it: know, therefore, that the vision is
for thy good.”
• Question, then: What did “wine” mean to the translators of the 1611 King
James Bible, or of the Douay-Rheims in 1752 or the Tyndale Bible in
1526?
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
“Wine” in other languages.
WINE IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Latin: vinum
Greek: οινος (oinos)
Hebrew: ‫(יין‬yayin)
As in English, all of these words can refer to
both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
VINUM
1740 Thesaurus Linguae Latinae, refers to aegluces vinum
(“sweet wine”) and defrutum vinum (“boiled wine”). Both
of these wines are unfermented grape juice.
It also says, “vinum covantur ipsae etiam uvae”, translated
“even the very grapes are called wine”
Marcus Cato, On Agriculture, referred to vinum pendens,
translated “wine still hanging [on the grapes]”
VINUM
1640 Parkinson’s Theatrum Botanicum says “The juyce or
liquor pressed out of the ripe grapes, is called vinum,
wine.”
Pliny (AD 24-79) “lists the boiled wines sapa and defrutum
among the vinum dulce – “sweet wine.”
OINOS
Particularly important over vinum and wine because the
New Testament was written in Greek.
Aristotle (384-322 BC) “…For some kinds of wine
[oinos], for example must [gleukos], solidify when boiled.”
Again, about gleukus (sweet wine), “though called wine
[oinos], it has not the effect of wine, for it does not taste
like wine and does not intoxicate like ordinary wine.”
OINOS
Athenaeus was a grammarian from about 200 AD.
Speaking to people who were dyspeptic:
“Let him take sweet wine, either mixed with water or
warmed, especially that kind called protropos, the sweet
Lesbian glukus, as being good for the stomach; for sweet
wine [oinos] does not make the head heavy.”
Speaking of Drimacus the General, “At the time of the
festivals, he went about, and took wine from the field and
such animals for victims as were in good condition.”
OINOS
Proclus (5th Century AD) about grapes: “they treaded
them and squeezed out the wine [oinon]”
A papyrus from AD 137 “They paid to the one who had
earned his wages pure, fresh wine [oinon] from the vat.”
Nicander of Colophon, “And Oineus first squeezed it out
into hollow cups and called it oinos.”
YAYIN
The Jewish Encyclopedia says “Fresh wine before
fermenting was called ‘yayin mi-gat’” (wine of the vat)
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971) “The newly pressed wine
prior to fermentation was known as yayin mi-gat”.
Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 70a “If he eats pickled
meat or drinks 'wine from the vat', [i. e., new wine before
it has matured], he does not become a stubborn and
rebellious son” (‘yayin mi-gat’)
YAYIN
Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 70a “27And how long is it
called new wine? - As lone as it is in its first stage of
fermentation; and it has been taught: wine in the first
stage of fermentation does not come within the
prohibition against uncovered liquid: 28 and how long is
this first stage? - Three days.”
Baba Bathra 97a, Rabbi Hiyya says “Since the wine [yayin]
from the press is acceptable for libations bedi’abad, it is
acceptable for Kiddush lekathehillah.”
YAYIN
Halakot Gedalot, “One may press out a cluster of grapes
and pronounce the Kiddush over the juice, since the juice
of the grape is considered wine [yayin] in connection with
the laws of the Nazirite.”
YAYIN AND OINOS IN THE BIBLE
According to Robert Teachout, there are 141 references to yayin in
the Old Testament. Of those, 71 refer to unfermented grape juice
while 70 refer to fermented wine.
Learned by Comparison: Proverbs 23:31,32. By using the word
“when” and adding a condition to the wine, Scripture recognizes that
not all wine carries the same basic intoxicating quality.
YAYIN AS UNFERMENTED WINE
• Isaiah 16:10 – “wine in the presses”
• Jeremiah 40:10-12 – gathering wine
• Nehemiah 13:15 – selling of wine
• Genesis 49:11 – clothes washed in wine
OINOS IN THE SEPTUAGINT
Remember the Hebrew word “tirosh” (‫)תירֹוׁש‬
ִּ that we have mentioned a few
times. It refers almost exclusively to unfermented, fresh, sweet, grape juice.
How did the translators of the Septuagint translate it?
• Proverbs 3:10 – tirosh > oinos
• Joel 1:10 – tirosh > oinos
• Psalm 4:7 – tirosh > oinos
• Isaiah 16:10 – yayin > oinos
• Genesis 9:21 – yayin > oinos
The point? Oinos is used to translate both tirosh and yayin in both
unfermented and alcoholic contexts. So oinos in the New Testament is a dualpurpose word.
OINOS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament’s use of “wine” is limited. Understanding the Hebrew, as
well as Latin and English uses of the word helps us understand that
determining whether NT wine is fermented or not is determined by context.
In other words, we already know now that it can be either, so we read with
wisdom.
• Matthew 9:17 – wine and wineskins
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Ancient Preservation Methods
COMMON THEORIES
Refrigeration is necessary for preservation.
The process of pasteurization was not discovered until 1864.
Since Passover was many months after harvest, the wine Jesus drank at the
Last Supper was alcoholic.
ANCIENT PRESERVATION
METHODS
“Rev. Henry Homes, an American missionary to Constantinople, in his article
on wine published in the Bibliotheca Sacra (May 1848) gives this account of
his observations: “Simple grape-juice, without the addition of any earth to
neutralize its acidity, is boiled from four to five hours, so as to reduce it onefourth the quantity put in. After the boiling, for preserving it cool, and that it
be less liable to ferment, it is put into earthen instead of wooden vessels,
closely ties over with skin to exclude the air. It ordinarily has not a particle of
intoxicating quality, being used freely by both Mohammedans and Christians.
Some which I have had on hand for two years has undergone no change.”
ANCIENT PRESERVATION
METHODS
• Boiling
• Filtering
• Cold Storage
• Sulfur
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Jesus and wine.
THE WEDDING AT CANA
JOHN 2:1-11
• Moderationists assume this was alcoholic wine.
• This wine is called “the good wine”. It is assumed that this refers to a
quality, aged, alcoholic wine.
• The master of the feast says that it was served when the people had
“drunk freely”. Thus the assumption is that the master of the feast
acknowledged the people were drunk.
• Since both the wine Jesus made and the first wine served were called
“good wine,” they must both be the same type of wine.
• “good wine” does not necessarily refer to alcoholic wine.
• The people had “drunk freely” and were not “well drunk”.
THE WEDDING AT CANA
• The main purpose of the miracle was that His disciples would believe in
Him. The entire miracle MUST support this goal.
• There were six water pots which, together, could hold between 420 and
630 litres of liquid.
• The industry standard size of a wine bottle today is 750ml
• This means Jesus made the equivalent of between 560 and 840 bottles of
this wine, by today’s standard bottle size.
• This amount of wine, if alcoholic, cannot be considered to be in
moderation.
• This would place Jesus in violation of even a moderationist’s view of the
Old Testament teaching on alcohol, making it difficult, if not impossible
for the disciples to believe in Jesus.
GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD?
LUKE 7:33-35
The moderationist views this as an admission by Jesus that He drank wine. It
is said that He compares Himself to John the Baptist, who refrained from
wine.
• John the Baptist was a recluse. Matthew 3:1-6
• John the Baptist was a Nazirite. Luke 1:15
• Jesus was not a Nazirite. Luke 7:34 (He was a Nazarene.)
• Jesus was a social man. Luke 7:34
• Jesus socialized with gluttons and drunkards (the sinners and tax
collectors)
• He was accused of doing as they did.
• Accusations are not necessarily true. Verse 35 supports this.
THE COMMUNION CUP
MATTHEW 26:26-29
• Very important for moderationists because it shows Jesus commanding to
drink this wine until the end of the present dispensation.
• The assumption is made that the wine was alcoholic because of the time
of year in which it was drunk.
• We have already seen that preservation of grape juice was possible for a
year or more.
• Passover (The Feast of Unleavened Bread) required that all leavening be
removed from the houses in order to celebrate properly.
• The cup was intended to symbolize the blood of Christ. Leavening is most
often used as a picture of sin in the Bible. Alcoholic wine cannot
accurately picture the blood of Christ.
OLD WINE IS GOOD?
LUKE 5:29
• Moderationists view this as a commendation of alcoholic wine by Jesus.
• This view missing a critical factor; It is not Jesus who says the old is good
but the man who has been drinking it.
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
What about “strong drink”?
STRONG DRINK?
• The Bible speaks negatively of “strong drink”, just as it does of all
intoxicating beverages.
Proverbs 20:1, 1 Samuel 1:15, Isaiah 5:22; 28:7
• The Hebrew word is ‫ׁשכָר‬,
ֵׁ “shekar”.
• Deuteronomy 14:26 – an apparent divine allowance of “strong drink”.
• The purpose of the event was that the people should fear God always.
• The items bought should mirror the items sold.
• The Levites involved in this ceremony were to abstain entirely from
alcohol.
• Shekar was also a multi-purpose word, indicating either a fermented or
non-fermented drink, probably made of dates.
• Isaiah 24:9 – support for this view
STRONG DRINK
sugar (n.)
late 13c., sugre, from Old French sucre "sugar" (12c.), from Medieval Latin
succarum, from Arabic sukkar, from Persian shakar, from Sanskrit sharkara
"ground or candied sugar," originally "grit, gravel" (cognate with Greek kroke
"pebble"). The Arabic word also was borrowed in Italian (zucchero), Spanish
(azucar), and German (Old High German zucura, German Zucker), and its
forms are represented in most European languages (cf. Serb. cukar, Polish
cukier, Russian sakhar).
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Bible Dive.
BIBLE DIVE
1. Proverbs 20:1 – Are you wise or not?
2. Proverbs 23:31 – Look not at alcohol.
3. Leviticus 10:8-11 – Who are priests?
1. 1 Peter 2:5,9
4. Alcohol is directly linked with various moral sins.
1. Sexual immorality – Habakkuk 2:15, Romans
13:13
2. Violence – Matthew 24:48,49
3. Arguing and complaining – Proverbs 23:29
5. Alcohol is a picture of God’s judgment and outpoured
wrath – Jeremiah 25:15, Revelation 14:9,10
6. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Moderation in everything?
7. Ephesians 5:18 – What are you controlled by?
THE THREE MAIN VIEWS
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The Prohibitionist View: The Bible teaches against the consumption of
alcohol. Proper understanding of the Greek and Hebrew as well as of the
context and culture is necessary to understand that alcoholic beverages are not
permitted to believers. The only acceptable use of alcohol is medicinal.
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The Moderationist View: The Bible teaches liberty to participate in light social
drinking. As with anything, consumption of alcohol must be done in
moderation. The Bible strictly prohibits drunkenness. However, Jesus made
wine and Paul advised Timothy to drink wine. The qualification of pastors and
deacons allows some light consumption of alcohol.
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The Abstentionist View: The Bible allows it but it is culturally a poor choice in
North America because of the excessive issues related to alcohol. It is best to
abstain from alcohol altogether – forgoing this liberty of mine for the benefit
of others. In another culture or in another time, we would be free to drink it.
A SIMPLE VIEW
The Bible’s view is not complicated. God does not condone the moderate
drinking of alcohol. God requires complete abstention. Man is responsible for
the apparent complexity of the biblical doctrine on alcohol. Man is guilty of
twisting Scripture to suit his own desires, as many have done in the past.
ALCOHOL AND THE BIBLE
Seeking the Biblical Perspective