Tag Archives: Alcohol

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5

wineI’ve bitten off more than any of us can chew, as I’ve promised to try and cover most of the Old Testament with this post. Some will have little patience for this kind of Bible study, and I’m okay with that. But some would like to see what all of Scripture has to say about alcohol, so we’ll continue on with this series.

I’m going to have to try and group ideas here and will not be able to cover every pertinent text. I’ll do my best to give representative texts for the different ideas presented:

If the Pentateuch was ambiguous about its view toward drunkenness, some statements in the books of the prophets are less so. They condemn alcohol abuse. (Isaiah 5:11-12, 22; 28:1-8; Amos 4:1; 6:6) We should also note Eli’s reaction to Hannah’s apparent drunkenness. (1 Samuel 1:12-14)

Wine was given to man for his enjoyment. (Psalm 104:14-15; Jeremiah 31:12-14)

Wine was given to man to “gladden his heart.” (Judges 9:13; Ecclesiastes 9:7; 10:19; Zechariah 10:7)

Wine is a sign of blessing and abundance; lack of wine is a sign of punishment and hardship. (Joel 2:24-26; 3:18; Isaiah 24:7-11)

The joyous drinking of wine is part of God’s promise for the future (Isaiah 25:6-9; 62:8-9; Jeremiah 31:12-14; Amos 9:13).

This Old Testament survey reflects the practice of the Puritans that we saw in an earlier post, where they praised wine as a gift from God and condemned drunkenness as a work of the devil.

But does wine really mean wine in the Bible? Sadly, I guess this has to be addressed sometime. The theory of “wineless” wine was invented in the 19th century and refuses to go away, despite all evidence to the contrary. Rather than offer a long, drawn out argument, let me refer you to a thorough post on The Two Wine Theory. For those who don’t wish to read there, here are some pertinent quotes:

Against this view is the nearly unanimous testimony of the lexicons, dictionaries, encyclopedias and historians that the terms for wine (yayin in Hebrew, and oinos in Greek) refer to a clearly alcoholic substance. Gentry [author of God Gave Wine—Tim] quotes a couple lexicons and the TWOT as unequivocally stating that yayin is alcoholic. Strong’s Concordance Dictionary notes: “yayin; from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication intoxication; — banqueting, wine, wine (-bibber).” Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament (edited by Merril Unger and William White Jr., and part of Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary states: “Yayin… is the usual Hebrew word for fermented grape…. [It] clearly represents an intoxicating beverage.” The article for “wine” in the revised ISBE (edited by Geoffrey Bromiley) states “Both yayin and tirosh are fermented grape juice with alcoholic content; hence both are able to cause intoxication (cf. Hos. 4:11) and are to be distinguished from ‘must’ or unfermented grape juice.” The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary [Chicago: Moody Press, 1988; edited by Merrill F. Unger] states, “In most of the passages in the Bible where yayin is used (83 out of 138), it certainly means fermented grape juice; and in the remainder it may fairly be presumed to do so. The intoxicating character of yayin in general is plain from Scripture.”

There is no reason to think that the wine that “gladdens men’s hearts” is anything but fermented wine, wine containing alcohol.

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4

wineThe first mention of wine in the Bible gives us a bit of foreshadowing concerning what we’ll see in the rest of the Old Testament: “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.” (Genesis 9:20-23) Wine is a principal crop, a sign of fertility and well-being. At the same time, the misuse of wine can lead to shame (see also the story of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19:30-38). In the usual style of Genesis, no moralizing is done in this story. However, it’s clear that Noah feels no responsibility for what has happened; the sin was Ham’s, and the consequence of that sin fell squarely on Canaan.

Wine also seems to have played a role in the sin of Nadab and Abihu, since it is in the context of this story that God announces that priests are not to drink when performing their temple duties. (Leviticus 10:9)

Nazirites were not to drink wine as part of their vow. (nor were they to eat any product made from grapes). This prohibition reminds us that consuming all of the products made from grapes was common at that time.

Wine occurs in lists of blessings that God gives to people (Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 7:13; 11:14; 33:28). As such, it was offered back to God as an offering, in daily offerings (Exodus 29:40), burnt offerings (Numbers 15:1-12; 28:7-10; 29) and the wave offering (Leviticus 23:13). Note that Numbers 28:7 talks about strong wine or strong drink; this would correspond to the principle that only the best was to be offered to God. This would be pure, undiluted wine, possibly “vintage stock.” One of the curses for disobedience to God was that the people would have no wine (Deuteronomy 28:39). Part of the hardship that the people suffered during the 40 years in the wilderness was the fact that they had neither wine nor strong drink (Deuteronomy 29:2-6).

Wine was part of the tithe that people ate to show their gratitude to God at harvest time (Deuteronomy 12:17). The description of this tithe sheds light on the use of alcohol in the Old Testament: “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.” (Deuteronomy 14:22-26) Both wine and strong drink were to be consumed as part of the worshiper’s response to God. God not only allowed their use; he instructed his people to consume them.

There’s one more thing that’s important to point out as we study the Pentateuch. Apart from the cautionary value of the stories of Noah, Lot, Nadab and Abihu, there is no condemnation of drinking nor drunkenness in the Law of Moses. [Edit, January 15, 2011: Daniel Haynes pointed out Deuteronomy 21:20; I should modify this statement to say “there is no direct condemnation of drinking nor drunkenness…”] In the first five books of the Bible, wine and other fermented beverages are a blessing from God, used in worshiping God. Their absence is seen as a hardship and a curse.

Let me go ahead and address the criticism that is coming: “So you’re advocating….” No, I’m not. For now, I’m trying to get a handle on what the Bible says. I’d ask that we wait for the discussions of the horrors of alcohol abuse or the examination of other biblical passages. If you have reflections on these passages or want to mention other passages from Genesis-Deuteronomy (there are more), please share your thoughts.

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3

wineThis week and next, I want to spend some time examining what the Bible says about alcohol. That’s not as easy as you might think because of a couple of factors:

  • Emotion: This is an issue that many people have a lot of emotion tied up in. Either they’ve been personally touched by alcohol abuse, or they’ve been frustrated by traditions that have been bound upon them. Others have publicly taught one side or the other of this issue and are hesitant to go back and see if their previous conclusions are true.
  • Prior assumptions: Lots of assertions are made about alcohol, especially about what the Bible teaches about it. Many of these hinder serious study rather than advance it. My appeal is that we suspend judgment until we examine the evidence. That sounds logical, but I find it rarely happens when studying this issue.

Here’s my plan of study:

  1. The Pentateuch: We need to examine the first five books of the Bible, the books of the Law. These should receive special attention for several reasons. First, there was a time when these were probably the only written witness God’s people had. Surely God had a message for them about this important topic. Secondly, the teachings of these books give us a good idea of how the Jews would have viewed this subject. They placed a special emphasis on what was written in the Law, placing the teachings of the Pentateuch above those of other books.
  2. Most of the rest of the Old Testament: I want to look at some of the wisdom literature separately, but feel that a survey of the rest of the Old Testament is in order.
  3. Wisdom literature: Actually, I want to look at Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon separately.
  4. The gospels: As always, we need to take time to look at what our Lord said and did concerning alcohol in his lifetime.
  5. The rest of the New Testament: We’ll conclude our biblical overview with the other books of the New Testament. (I started to say “the letters,” but then I remembered the reference in Acts 2)

Stay with me through this. Let’s take a good look at what Scripture says. Is there a better way to determine what we should do as Christians?

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2

wine

Living in the United States in the late 20th and early 21st century, it would be easy to think that the majority of Christians have always opposed the use of alcohol, especially in this country. Actually, history tells a different story.

When the Puritans set sail on the Mayflower, they brought with them more beer than water. Alcohol was consumed on a regular basis, being safer to drink than oft-polluted water. It was seen as a gift from God, serving as an analgesic, an “energy drink,” an enhancer of food, and a tool of socialization. The Puritans, however, were strongly opposed to the abuse of alcohol. As famed Puritan preacher Increase Mather worded it, “Drink is in itself a good creature of God, and to be received with thankfulness, but the abuse of drink is from Satan, the wine is from God, but the Drunkard is from the Devil.” Those who abstained from drinking alcohol were considered to be less healthy and less spiritual, since they rejected part of what God had created for man.

The community provided strong social controls, both informal and formal. Though their rate of consumption of alcohol was much higher than what is typically found today (they averaged about three and a half gallons of alcohol per year per person), their overall sobriety was legendary.

All of this began to break down as people became more mobile and the culture moved from a rural society to an urban one. Social controls began to disappear as people moved away from their communities and stepped into the relative anonymity of city life. Drinking, which had been done in a family situation crossing gender and age barriers, began to be primarily an activity of men away from their homes. In addition, while it was difficult to produce wine on the frontier, whiskey and other distilled drinks were easily made and were relatively inexpensive.

The temperance movement grew up to combat the abuses. At first, the movement sought to bring back moderation, but eventually moved to a push for prohibition. Many religious leaders, seeing the effects of alcohol abuse, joined the fight. Eventually, the theme of the church’s message on alcohol changed, from extolling its virtues and condemning its abuse, to condemning even the production of alcohol. Giving up on re-establishing the social controls that had once controlled the abuse of alcohol, Christians sought to eradicate this evil from the land. Their motto was taken straight from Scripture: “Touch not; taste not; handle not.”

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol Abuse)

Some Additional Readings:
National Prohibition of Alcohol in the U.S.
The Rejection of Wine
Christianity and Alcohol” — This Wikipedia article contains MANY additional resources for investigation
Protestants and Catholics: Drunken Barbarians and Mellow Romans?

The Christian and alcohol

wineI want to spend some time looking at the Christian’s dealings with alcohol. Historically, Christians have taken the road of moderation, accepting the drinking of alcohol while condemning the abuse of alcohol. In the United States, over the last two hundred years, the temperance movement has been strong. This has led the church to re-examine her position, and many have chosen one of two roads: prohibition or abstention. Prohibition seeks to make alcohol illegal (this is the official stance of the Southern Baptist convention, for example), while abstention is about people making personal choices (which some bind on all other Christians, while others see them as personal choices).

I want to spend some time looking at what the Bible says about alcohol, as well as how drinking exists in our culture. To start off, I want to examine the current situation in this country.

Alcohol abuse is a terrible problem in this country. Not only in this country, but around the world. (Technically, alcohol abuse and alcoholism are not the same. Alcoholism is a disease, while alcohol abuse is a pattern of behavior.)

The U.S. Center for Disease Control lists the possible effects of excessive drinking:

  • Chronic diseases such as liver cirrhosis (damage to liver cells); pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas); various cancers, including liver, mouth, throat, larynx (the voice box), and esophagus; high blood pressure; and psychological disorders.
  • Unintentional injuries, such as motor-vehicle traffic crashes, falls, drowning, burns and firearm injuries.
  • Violence, such as child maltreatment, homicide and suicide.
  • Harm to a developing fetus if a woman drinks while pregnant, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • Alcohol abuse or dependence.

It’s a problem that needs to be taken seriously. Anybody who flippantly says, “The Christian can participate in the use of alcohol in this country” is doing great harm, in my opinion. The typical use of alcohol in the United States in the 21st century, while actually improving over much of what happened in the 20th century, is unquestionably abusive. Drinking anything in the quantities that many people drink alcohol would be ridiculous. (Who sits down to drink a six-pack of Dr. Pepper? Who chug-a-lugs orange juice? Had a kegger with milk lately?) Beverages aren’t meant to be recreation. The effects of alcohol compound the damage.

How should the church react to such a problem? What’s a biblical response? Those are the things that I’d like to examine in the next few posts.

[I’ll probably take it slow, so those who comment will get ahead of me as usual. Because of that, I may not always comment on the comments. We’ll see.]