I have known some Christian friends who would hit the pubs or slouch themselves in front of the TV with a can of beer to unwind themselves after a hard day’s work. To them, the justification for drinking alcoholic wine can be found in Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine. This miracle is a clear indication to them that Jesus sanctioned the drinking of alcoholic wine.

Wine, in biblical times, was a product derived from grapes. In the Old Testament, wine is referred to either as yayin or tirosh. In the New Testament wine is generically termed oinos and this occurs 32 times. It is also rendered to as gleukos but this is found only once in Acts 2:13, translated as ‘new wine.’ Some Bible scholars hold to the one-wine position which states that all the wine mentioned in the Bible was fermented grape juice with alcohol content. Others, however, hold to a two-wine position, believing that there were two kinds of wine in the Bible - in the fermented state and in the unfermented state (fresh grape juice).

In Old Testament passages, the word yayin has references to both types of wine, the fermented and the unfermented. The former type of wine is found in Genesis 9:21-24, And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent…And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

One Scripture text that mentions wine which is non-fermented is found in Genesis 49:11, 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. In this verse, there is synonymous parallelism between "he washed his garments in wine," and "his clothes in the blood of grapes." Garments is synonymous with clothes, and therefore wine would be synonymous with blood of grapes. The blood of grapes is evidently unfermented wine freshly pressed from grapes. Hence, it can be concluded from this text that there is a second type of wine that was also referred to as yayin.

The word tirosh occurs 38 times and is rendered also as wine or oinos. It is used to indicate the beneficent nature of wine as a blessing from God. Hence it is used concomitantly with corn and oil (Gen. 27:28; Deut 7:13; 11:14; 33:28, Hos 2:8; Joel 2:19). This combination is found 19 times in the Authorised Version. The fact that tirosh refers to unfermented wine can be seen in this context since corn (dagan) means agricultural products like grain or wheat, and oil (yitshar) refers to fresh oil from the olive tree. Corn, wine and oil are all produced by husbandry—grain as the produce of the field; grapes as the produce of the vineyard, and olives as the produce of the orchard. This combination is found in Nehemiah 5:11, "Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them." Thus the meaning of tirosh is established specifically as fresh grape juice but it was generically translated as ‘wine.’

Thus from the evaluation of the Hebrew words rendered ‘wine’ in our English Bible, we see that there are two types of wine in the Scriptures: One fermented and the other unfermented.

With the understanding that there are two types of wine, we now want to know what kind of wine Jesus made in Cana. This cannot be easily determined because as mentioned earlier, oinos is rendered generically here. If it was meant to be understood as fermented wine, then the claim that Jesus sanctioned wine drinking or even social wine drinking is true. But if the wine Jesus made was non-fermented, then moderate wine drinkers have no case from the Scriptures at all.

Those who hold to the one-wine position would argue that the wine that Jesus made was a diluted wine, with one part wine and two parts water, or one part wine and three parts water. This understanding would lead to the view that since wine with alcoholic content is involved even though it is diluted, Jesus still made and drank alcoholic wine. Christians are therefore allowed to drink in moderation.

Let us therefore try to determine the kind of wine that Jesus produced at the wedding feast. According to the immediate context, Jesus was invited to a wedding. But there was a shortage of wine and Jesus was told by Mary, His mother, that the wine had run out (Jn 2:2).Weddings in the days of Jesus would usually last seven days and required sufficient wine for all the guests to last for that duration. To run out of wine was considered a social disgrace that would become a subject of jest for years. Jesus therefore performed the miracle of changing the water in the six water pots into wine. So excellent was the wine that the master of the feast chided the bridegroom that he should have brought this good wine first, and after that, the inferior one instead of doing the opposite (John 2:10).

In the original Greek, the phrase "when men have well drunk" (John 2:10) means generally to drink wine more freely than usual, without any reference to being intoxicated. It cannot be inferred from this that there was excessive consumption of fermented wine. Also, to suggest that Jesus changed water into fermented wine goes against His impeccability and His sinlessness (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15). Attending a wedding feast which degenerates into an occasion filled with drunkenness out of wine supplied by Him would make Him a transgressor of the Word of God, since the Word says, "Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh" (Prov 23:19-20).

The changing of the water in six full water pots (with a total volume of 100 to 150 gallons) into alcoholic wine (John 2:6), would arouse anyone’s indignation against the one who miraculously supplied such a large volume that would only intoxicate the guests further. Considering also the fact that this miracle of Cana was His very first, we must ask if Jesus would ever allow the sin of drunkenness to put a blemish in His earthly ministry and His character. Jesus, whose "meat" is always to do the will of Him that sent Him (Jn 4:34) would hardly wish to put Himself under Habbakuk’s curse, "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!" (Hab 2:15 cf. Lk 12:45; Eph 5:18).

The Apostle John attested that "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him" (John 2:11). If Jesus contributed toward the sin of drunkenness and aggravated the intoxication of winebibbers, how could the apostle John declare that by this Christ "manifested forth His glory" at that feast? Furthermore, how would the disciples place their trust and confidence in a person who obviously caused men to sin?

Therefore, the facts of the case lead to the conclusion that the wine which Jesus made was new harmless non-fermented grape juice that the guests could enjoy for the rest of the seven days of the wedding without any implication of sin.

Did Jesus drink fermented wine at the Last Supper with His disciples then? The passage on the Last Supper is found in Matthew 26:28-29, For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. In verse 29, the wine that Jesus drank is called ‘the fruit of the vine.’ After fermentation it could not be called the fruit of the vine any more.

Furthermore, the Lord’s Supper was a Passover meal, and one important requirement for the Passover meal was that there should be no forms of leaven present at the meal (Ex. 12:19) because leaven symbolically portrays sin. If the bread which is a symbol of Christ’s body at the Last Supper, was to be free from leaven to portray His sinlessness, then we can be sure that the wine used at the Last Supper as a symbol of Jesus’ blood, would also be free from the poison of alcohol.

It is also important to note that the fermentation process of wine is similar to the leavening process of bread – both of them break down hydrocarbons. Thus, Jesus who fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law would not have drunk fermented wine at the Last Supper but new wine, i.e. grape juice.

The Bible recognizes the fact that fermented wine has medicinal value as seen in Paul’s advice to Timothy no longer to drink water exclusively, but to use a little wine for his stomach’s sake and his frequent infirmities (1 Tim 5:23). One can easily infer from this that Timothy abstained from fermented wine.

The Bible has abundant warnings and prohibitions against drinking fermented wine. In Proverbs 20:1, such wine is considered as a deceiver of men: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Those who indulge in it bring curses upon themselves: Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. (Prov 23:29-32 cf Isa 5:11,22).

Christians are explicitly forbidden to be drunk with wine: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). The Scriptures denounce any man who cajoles others to drink: Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! (Hab 2:15).

One of the qualifications of God’s undershepherds of His flock is that he must be not given to wine (I Tim 3:3; Tit 1:7). He must be above reproach in what is one of the most serious problems (alcoholism) of the day. All Elders, leaders and children of God should subject their appetites and will, all under the Lordship of Christ.

It is clear that Christ and His Word does not at all sanction social or moderate drinking of alcoholic wine (except for medicinal purposes) for He Himself has shown the example of complete abstinence. Drunkards shall never have a part in God’s kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-10).
—QKK

Children aged 3 to 10 will sing old time carols as they retell the Nativity story. Presentation on Noah’s Ark by FEK.

Bring a friend and let the children share the tidings of great joy and hope to all people!

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CORRIGENDUM TO LIFE B-P CHURCH CALENDAR 2008

Existing Date(s)                  Amended  Date(s)

4-6 June                            28-30 May                        Vacation Bible School

15 June                              8 June                             SS Missionary Sunday

16-20 June                         9-13 June                         Church Bible Camp

19 January                         1 March )

19 April                              7 June )                           Golden Age Fellowship

19 July                               16 August )

22 Nov                               15 Nov )