What does the Bible say about Christians and alcohol?

I have been writing a few times, both in my own posts and as comments in other posts, about the issue of Christians and alcohol.Many has sent messages, privately, and thanked me for my posts and the comments, while others hold on to their “sin”. Everyone wants a follow up and an elaboration on this subject, and I am therefore posting this, and hope you will take the time to read the entire message. I find it necessary and very important in this time of confusion.

With this long post, to clarify the issues around wine/ Christians and alcohol, and what the Bible says, and what “man” says. Is it alcohol in the wine which JESUS refers to or not?

Let me initially make it crystal clear. Christians, saved and born again, does not drink alcohol! The wine as described in the Bible does not contain alcohol, it is not fermented. Read the entire message, and you will see this clear and unambiguously.

I could have elaborated a lot on this, and for sure held several Bible studies around this subject/ issue, but you will find here the most important points.

The wine and communion!

JESUS SAID NO TO ALCOHOL!

Some claims that refraining from alcohol is a Muslim virtue. A drink in good company is counted for as a blessing in life, even amongst Christian groups. The wine, also with alcohol, is one of GOD´s good gift to humans, they say.

Roger Robertson does absolutely not agree in those thoughts. He asks – How can something with such a potential of evilness in it, be GOD´s gift? It cannot be united in the picture of a loving Father who takes care of His children, who want to restore the image of GOD in us. Then we must avoid everything that is dulling and counteracting his plan.

The Bible tells us that JESUS is “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The alcohol weakens and kill brain cells, and it makes us less sensitive and receptive of the wisdom from heaven. If JESUS himself, drank alcohol, then the treasures of wisdom and knowledge couldn’t have existed in His mind. JESUS came to give us freedom (John 8:36) The alcohol is a slave binder, and is therefore contradicting His mission.

Well, what about the scriptures “the drinking in moderation” people uses to show that the Bible accepts the use of fermented wine, wine with alcohol? For instance, how was “the good wine” which JESUS miraculous made during the wedding in Canaan?

The good Wine

The Jews looked at the non-fermented wine, wine without alcohol, made out of boiled grape juice, as “the richest and the best wine”, according to Kittos Encyclopedia of Biblical Literature. It was probably such wine JESUS served. It came pure and fresh from the Makers hand, and there was no time nor need to ferment it. Several of that time writers, refer to non-fermented wine, wine without alcohol, as the best and the healthiest wine.

In the scripture about tithing, we get to learn that the best of the best, what to measure everything against, was “the grain from the threshing floor and the wine from the wine press” (Numbers 18:27) In other words not a fermented wine from vessels or leather bags, but the pure juice which run new and fresh from the wine press.

The story of the wedding, says that the miracle of the wine, revealed the glory of JESUS. Is it then possible to imagine that He served hundreds of liters of fermented wine to the gests after they were “drunk”?

If so, He would have been chastised by Peter, which was there and saw what JESUS did. What did he learn from the Master? That He encourage the believers to be gentle and sober, so that you can pray (1 Peter 4:7)

Today we know that alcohol, even in small amount, changes the mood, reduces the ability to concentrate and inhibits the short-term memory and the ability to learn. The great teacher will not validate anything which reduces our sensitivity and mind. He wants us to be the temple of The Holy Spirit.

“Drink not only water, but use some wine for your belly because you are so often sick” writes Paul to Timothy. How can we understand such and advice?

Paul is giving a good advice.

The text is not indicating anything about him taking fermented wine. Other writers in the same period recommends strong non-fermented wine as the remedy. Plinius, a man in the same time period as Paul, writes that “the wine is most useful when you use a filter, hinders the fermentation to begin.”

To drink fermented wine, is a bad advice to give to someone with a stomach ailment. If Paul means non-fermented wine, he is in good harmony with others at that time, and former authorities, and with the Biblical advice, says Robertson.

He cannot see JESUS as a spokesman for the “drinking in moderation people.” For him, more than anyone else, it was a moral responsibility to raise a clean flag. When we know that “it is not for kings to drink wine” (Proverbs 31:4), it seems unbelievable that He who is “The King of Kings and LORD of lords”, and inspired Solomon to write this advice down, himself should use strong drinks, fermented wine.

The Communion?

What GOD gives, is good.

The expression “wine” is not used in the text illustrating the last supper. And I believe it is intentionally, to avoid misunderstandings. Instead we read “the cup” or “the fruit of the wine tree”.

The fruit of the wine tree, is what is pressed out of the grapes, pure and clear. An example: Josefus writes that the cupbearer of Pharaoh took three bunches of grapes, pressed them in the cup and served Pharaoh. He calls this fresh grape juice, “the fruit of the wine tree”. What GOD gives, is good!

Even at the cross, in the last great battle, JESUS was an example for us. Mark, the evangelist, writes that the soldiers wanted to give Him wine mingled with myrrh (Mark 15:23), Matthew mentions wine mingled with gall (Matthew 27:34), but JESUS declined the offer. But He accepted a sponge with vinegar, which does not contain alcohol (John 19:29)

All to the end, He wanted to live with clear senses. That is also His good will for us. It is impossible to be spiritual sober if you are not physical sober at the same time. A groggy mind hinders our contact with GOD in a chaotic and confused world, says Roger Robertson. Entering into the final stages of history, heaven gives us this advice: “Be sober, so that you can pray!”

NON-FERMENTED WINE, WINE WITHOUT ALCOHOL, IN THE OLD TIMES

The normal Greek word for wine, is “oinos”. In Septuaginta, the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures (OT), the Hebrew word for “grape juice” is translated 33 times with the Greek word “oinos”.

According to Professor Samuel Lee at the Cambridge University, this word has its roots in the Hebrew word “yain”. This word does not have anything to do with any intoxicating drinks produced through the fermentation process. Contrary, it speaks about a thick, non-intoxicating, syrup or mass, which is produced by boiling, to get it to last.

This thick mass was then preserved in leather bags. The grape syrup was stored in new leather bags so that it didn’t ferment. This was referred to as “the new wine”. Old leather bags could produce fermentation, the same way as fermentation could take place if you are not careful with the process when canning.

This thick syrup is similar to our grape jelly, and could be squeezed out of the leather bags to be used on bread or to be dissolved in water. This mixture of grape jelly and water, gave the very popular grape juice.

It is quite obvious that this was what JESUS was referring to when He spoke about “new wine in new leather bags.”

In ancient times, they knew several methods for preservation of non-fermented wine. One way, was to reduce the grape juice to a consistency of a thick syrup or jelly, which in Hebrew was called “debhash”. This method could be used to preserve for a long period of time. By adding water, the concentrate was converted to non-fermented wine.

Sometime, they also made cake out of dried grapes, which water was added at a later stage, to produce non-fermented wine.

Even classical writers and philosophes spoke about wine which was non-intoxicating. Horats wrote in the year 35 BC, “Here you can lay in the shadow and drink cups of the non-intoxicating wine…” Plutark wrote in the year 60 BC, “The filtered wine doesn’t lift nor affects the mind or feelings, and it is very pleasant to drink.”

Virgil wrote in the year 30 BC, “The golden grape juice is boiled in to this sweet, wonderful juice.” Homer tells in his ninth book about the Odyssey, that Odysseus brought along in the boat a goatskin with sweet, black wine. When it was time to drink, it was diluted with 20 parts of water. Because it was so thick, it needed water to be able to drink it.

Columella and other writers, which lived in the time of the Apostles, tells us that in Italy and Greece, it was common to boil the grape juice. This is something you wouldn’t do, if you wanted it to ferment.

Archbishop Potter, born in 1674, writes in his document Grecian Antiquities, bind 2, page 360, “The Spartans used to boil grape wine over fire until it was reduced with 20%. Then they hid it away for 4 years before they took it out again and drank it.”

Professor Donovan says in his Bible Commentaries, page 295, “To preserve the wine, all the way to our time, the Romans made a concentrate out of the grape juice. This was done by allowing it to evaporate, either by itself in free air, or over the fire, to thicken it remaining liquid, like syrup.”

Caspar Neuman, Dr. Med, Professor in chemistry in Berlin, wrote the following, “All trials show that when the sweet juice is boiled to a thick mass, it will firstly not ferment in that condition, but is also difficult to ferment it after thinning it out again with the same amount of liquid which it boiled down with.”

Robert Alsop wrote the following, “The thick liquid grape juice, is produced in almost every single house in the wine districts in Southern France. This is simply grape juice, which is boiled until it looks like syrup.”

When the Jews, at the time JESUS was there, grew wine grapes, it was not first and foremost to make fermented wine. It has been counted up sixteen different purposes these grapes was used, and last on the list was wine making.

The non-fermented grape juice was boiled so to keep its sweetness. Israel had a warm climate, and harvested grapes were quickly spoiled in the heat.

The wine was normally stored in pointed jars, called “amforas”. When it was to be used, they poured the wanted amount from the amofora into a big bowle, called “kraters”. From these kraters, the wine was poured over to cups, which was called “Kylix”.

The ratio between water and wine varied. Some older writers, mention a ratio of 1 part wine to 20 parts of water. Others indicates the ratio to be 1-5, 1-4 or 2-5.

Alcohol is not a natural product. The nature never produces liquid with alcohol by itself. Grapes rot on the branches and get destroyed if it is not handled by humans and processed. GOD has not created alcohol, and the art to distill was not even known before the ninth century AD.

The law of the nature does not bring forth alcohol if it works by itself. The natures cycle tells us that the grapes ripe, and if they are not eaten, they rot and dissolves. Manufacturing of alcohol is in other words, human efforts.

Count Jean Antoine Chaptal, a great French chemists, wrote, “The nature never forms or produces liquid with alcohol. The law of the nature gets the grapes to rot on the branches, but artificially, you can get the grape juice to become wine with alcohol.”

Alcohol is non-existent in any natural products. It has never been created by GOD, but is an artificial thing, brought forth by humans through a fermentation process.

Rotten fruit of any kind, is thrown and stamped as unhealthy and health damaging. In the same matter, it is with spoiled meat. It is therefore contradicting science and common sense to place alcohol among the good which GOD has created. The alcohol is in fact a product of degradative processes.

THE WEDDING IN CANAAN IN GALILEE

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: butthou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” (John 2:1-11)

This passage must be one of the most misunderstood passages in the entire Bible! This event in Canaan in Galilee, is taken as an evidence that JESUS used His power to transform water to almost 500 liters of wine with alcohol, to satisfy people that wanted to get drunk!

It is of great significance to find out if JESUS really made wine with alcohol, fermented wine. Because, if JESUS really both made and drank fermented wine, then let us all do the same! Let our children continue towards alcoholism. Because, if it was good enough for JESUS, then it must be allowed for anyone, young as old!

It is true, that JESUS transformed water to wine. But there is absolutely no grounds in the scripture which supports the allegations that this wine was fermented. Not all wine is fermented, just as little as grape juice contains alcohol.

We have to remember that yeast, actually is used as a symbol of sin in the word of GOD. Both yeasted bread and yeasted wine is used symbolically on sin and backsliding.

“Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.” (Lamentations 1:20)

“Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)

Then my question is: Would Mary, the mother of JESUS, taken JESUS into such a drink gathering? If Mary had joined in in such a gathering, she would have become an enemy of her own son.

In the wedding in Canaan, they had water jars filled with water, and when the guests drank, it was referred to as “wine”. The word used here, is the normal word for the mixture of water and wine. If the wine was not diluted with water, it was referred to as “unmixed wine” (akrasteron). Someone drinking wine, which was not diluted with water, was regarded as a barbarian.

I am therefore convinced that the guests at the wedding in Canaan, did not drink fermented wine, neither from the beginning of the wedding nor the wine which JESUS made. The wine JESUS made, was non-fermented. The wine that did not contain alcohol, was in Israel at that time actually more sought for than the fermented wine.

The miracle in Canaan, which JESUS did, was the same as the nature does when it creates juice out of grapes. The huge difference, is that what JESUS did in an instance, the nature uses long time to produce.

THE LORDS SUPPER

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 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.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

A story from 1869 tells us about a dentist, Thomas Bramwell Welch and his son Charles, which was responsible for all the preparations for the Communion in their church. They felt unease over the fact that they were using fermented wine. By using known techniques from the time of the Bible, they succeeded in producing non-fermented wine, grape juice, to be used in the Communion. Their product is today known as Welch Grape Juice.

The concern Welch had, was the fact that yeasted bread was forbidden in the Communion. When yeast cells die, it produces gases. This yeast process results in the bread to rise. But with the requirement of purity, unleavened bread was necessary.

Welch asked himself then: “Why is yeasting, fermentation, not allowed in the bread, but it is allowed in wine?”

It is for me completely unimaginable that JESUS should produce intoxicating substance, or that He should use fermented wine during the last supper, which is a symbol of His own shed blood! Fermented wine is spoiled juice. Should this be the symbol of the precious blood of JESUS? Should this be the symbol of the new life in the Spirit?

The Jewish Talmud, which contains the verbal traditions from 200 BC to 200 AD, has several tractates in which the mixture of water and wine are discussed. The normal mixture is said to be 1 part wine to 3 parts of water. In the part which is called Pesahim 108b, it shows that there are 4 cups, which every Jew should drink from during the Passover meal, had a ratio of 3 parts of water and 1 part of wine.

From this, it can be concluded that the wine which JESUS and the disciples used at the last supper, was not fermented. It was not alcohol.

When JESUS took the cup. Thereafter He said, “this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25

But how could JESUS give His disciples a drink, which makes people to forget, and at the same time saying these words about remember? Ask any alcoholic, why he drink, and he will immediately answer, “I am trying to forget.” Fermented wine reduces memory. A small sip, will of course not disconnect memory, but still, you don’t drink a drink which has these properties.

Fermented wine is a desecration of the Communion. It transforms the holy cup to a syringe! The cup is not a cup where you use the forces of death to celebrate the power of life.

The body of JESUS was never ever deteriorated or corrupted. That is why we eat unleavened bread when we celebrate the Lord’s supper, the Communion. The blood of JESUS was not deteriorated or corrupted. Hence, it must be just as obvious to drink non-fermented wine, symbolizing His blood!

JESUS also performed a miracle when He fed 5000 men plus women and children with 5 loafs and 2 small fishes. Surely, it was not spoiled or molded bread. Nor did JESUS create rotten fish. CHRIST creates life, not death!

If there was a place where an alcoholic should feel safe, it should be in the church. But, how can he be safe during the Communion if there is served fermented wine? One sip is many times what it takes to send him back into the ditch. Even the smell could be a temptation.

In the gospels, JESUS refer to the cup as “the fruit of the wine tree.” He is not using the word wine, but the fruit of the wine tree. This is natural since it is a fact that the wine branches does not carry fruit with alcohol.

“Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25)

Dear friend, you who have read all this, dont forget that your body is the temple of The Holy Spirit! Don’t grieve The Holy Spirit…

I wish you all the best.

Drink of the new wine!

Kjell Magne Longva

Pastor

Trans Nations International Church of the Cross

TNICC