Alcoholic drink and the New Testament

Question: Since the Lord Jesus Christ made a special wine, does the New Testament allows Christians to drink alcohol?

 Compiled by: Bro. Joey Arles O. Vergara 

“The wine at the wedding feast at Cana”

John 2:1-12 Jesus turns water in to wine.

Common Question: Did Jesus really turn water in to wine?

Answer: Yes, no doubt.

Tricky Question: Did Jesus made an alcoholic wine?

A Yes answer would complicate matter as:

1) Christians might conclude that it is automatically okay to drink alcoholic beverages. Much more is selling, producing, or making a great business of it.

2) Jesus filling the 6 stones (each can hold up to 30 gallons or roughly ¾ oil barrel) would mean the visitors would indulge into bench drinking, not casual drinking anymore.

3) In verse 10, all the guests have already been drinking to much, if the wine served in the banquet had been alcoholic beverages, they would have been drunk and would not be able to judge that the last wine was the best.

“The best wine”

In verse 10, the headmaster of the banquet identified that the wine was the good wine.

Context: The feast was held days before Passover. Which means, all available wine must be old wine because the grape harvest season will start 50 days after the Passover. This was called the summer harvest.

Challenge question:

If indeed Jesus made an alcoholic wine, wouldn’t it be that He be guilty of becoming a stumbling block to others? (Remember that the Lord Himself taught against it in Luke 17:1-2)

“Studying the terms:

Greek : oinos

Hebrew: yayin

Literal English Translation: “all beverages derived from grapes”

Related words:

Greek: sikera

Hebrew: shekar

Literal English Translation: “strong drinks made from juice or grains; modern like beer and flavored wine.

Sikera only is written in Luke 1:15. When the messenger of God told his parents that he must not drink any wine not strong drink because he is filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

Greek: gleukos

Hebrew: Tirosh

Literal English Translation: Fresh grape juice

Gleukos is used only in Acts 2:13. The context of which is to mock the disciples by saying that they became drunk using a fresh grape juice.

Isn’t drinking implied on the New Testament?

A. 1 Corinthians 11:20-22

Apostle Paul adonished the Corinthians Christians on their behavior during fellowship, especially on the breaking of bread and partaking of the fruit of the vine. Some, implied that the it is okay to get drunk at home.

Greek: methou

Literal English translation: “filled to the full”

In the context of Corinthian Christians, some were hungry some were overly filled with food and drink; they were plentifully fed. Though methou may mean drunk with alcoholic drink, but the context of early Christian is not drinking on alcoholic beverage because it is contrasted with the word “hungry [Greek: peina]”.

And that the Apostle has already addressed that the Christians should not associate with anyone who is a drunkard (1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:10).

The context in 1 Corinthians 11:22 must NOT about getting drunk at home.

B. Ephesians 5:18

Some argue that Apostle Paul permits drinking alcoholic wine, just don’t get drunk.

The context here is that the Apostle contrasted two filling subjects: to be filled with wine, versus filled with the Holy Spirit.

A person cannot be filled with both.

Remember John? He was not to drink wine because he filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

Remember the Day of Pentecost? The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit which led them to speak in foreign tongue.

Some recent Bible versions lost in translation of Ephesians 5:18. The original statement is “Do not get drunk with wine, in which is debauchery. NOT “that is debauchery”. This has reference to Proverbs 23:31. Fermented wine is an instrument of debauchery.

When Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that their bodies is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), he gave emphasis that being a temple of God, God owns the person’s body. God fills the body.

C. 1 Timothy 5:23

Apostle Paul did not say: “Do not drink any oinosis” because it would make total abstinence from drinking grape juice.

Some interpret this specific instruction of Apostle Paul that it is okay to drink alcoholic beverage. But, there must be no conflict of interest here. In verse 22, Apostle gave specific instruction to St. Timothy to keep himself pure.

Side tract: Medicinal use of wine in modern times

Medicinal wine

This are made from a red or white non-alcoholic wine mixed with herbs.

Consumed in moderation, it is claimed to have benefits for gut health, promote good heart condition, good for digestion, prevent hypertension, prevent some cancer, etc.

How to quantify moderation?

US-FDA recommends ½ glass of grape juice daily to be beneficial…anything more than this will cause vomiting, nausea, indigestion, headaches, and more.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that for a person with a healthy liver should not drink more than 2 shots of alcoholic beverage in a day.

  Roughly:                1 glass of regular beer, 1 shot glass of spirits/gin

However, World Health Organization, January 4, 2023:

Alcohol is toxic chemical, and the health risks “starts at the very first drop”. In the US and UK, it is found that most cancer patients are light to moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages.

According to Dr Ferreira-Borges (WHO), there is no such thing as safe level of alcohol intake. If people tries to find or justify any safe level of alcohol level intake, humanity is blind about the bigger picture that alcohol intake causes cancer.

Christians are to be sober

1 Peter 1:13

Here, the Apostles tells Christians that everyone must be mentally fit, and sober (Greek: nepho). Clement of Alexandrea [150-215, theologian] once said; “I therefore admire those who have adopted an austere [nephalion] life, and who are fond of water, the medicine of temperance, and flee as far as possible from wine, shunning it as they would the danger of fire."

1 Peter 5:8

Apostle Peter further instructs Christians to be sober-minded and watchful. The last word is “devour” [Greek; katapino; literally means “drink down”.]

1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7

“not addicted to wine” or “drinking to much wine” is interpreted as “non-abstinence to wine” by pro-alcohol drinking group.

Greek: paroinos

Literal English translation: one who sits by wine, one who has a habit of drinking wine.

1 Timothy 3:8

Greek: me oino pollo prosechontas

Literal English translation: not given to much wine.

A servant of God must not someone who is dominated by alcoholic drink. Christians must rule over fleshly desires (Galatians 5:17). As rulers, it is good to ponder on Proverbs 31:4-7. That wine is NOT for kings, intoxicating drinks is not for princess….alcoholic drinks are for those who are perishing and bitter hearts.