Did Jesus Use Grape Juice Or Wine?
After all, we must be careful to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) and to not become so caught up in the doctrines of men that we turn our backs on God (Matthew 15:8-9, Mark 7:7-9, Titus 1:14).
Many churches apparently believe and avidly teach that biblical wine is really unfermented grape juice. According to all indications both implicit and explicit, there is no possible way for this position to appear at all feasible. First, Noah could not have gotten drunk on grape juice (Genesis 9:21), nor could have Lot (Genesis 19:32-35). "But," some will claim, "that was Old Testament wine which was obviously alcoholic. The New Testament is clear in its condemnation of the use of alcohol and the instances where wine is said to be drunk is really a reference to grape juice only."
In John 2:11, the already-mentioned miracle at Cana is recounted. In accordance with Jewish custom, they were drinking REAL wine. It was a joyful occasion with probably several hundred people attending, so Jesus helped when the wine supply became prematurely exhausted. The product HAD to be fermented wine, for if it had been mere grape juice, there would have been complaints rather than superb compliments. "A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry" says Ecclesiastes 10:19 with the Hebrew word requiring a fermented product!
On Jesus’ last Passover (Last Supper), which occurred in the Spring, he passed around wine for him and his disciples to drink. Since this was six to seven months after the grape harvest and since there was no way to preserve grape juice, this HAD to be fermented wine. (The actual phrase is "fruit of the vine," but, as pointed out by The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, this expression was "employed by the Jews from time immemorial for the wine partaken of on sacred occasions, as at the Passover and on the evening of the Sabbath. The Greeks also used the term as a synonym of wine which was capable of intoxication.")
The Greek word used in John 2:1-11 for "wine" and in Paul's command to Timothy to drink wine (1Timothy 5:23) is the term oinos (Greek: οἶνος, Strong's Concordance Number #G3631). This same word appears in Ephesians 5:18 ("be not drunk with wine") and Luke 10:34 ("and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine"). Can you get drunk on grape juice? Would you pour grape juice on a wound? Of course not! You get drunk on alcoholic wine and fermented wine would provide sufficient alcoholic content to serve as an antiseptic.
Acts 2:13 (KJV)
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
[new wine] Greek: gleukos (GSN-), only here, but frequent in medical works. A special kind of wine distilled from the grape before it is pressed, being the sweetest and strongest wine. Ancients had a secret of preserving wine through the whole year and were fond of drinking it daily. —Dake's Study Notes
If such "unfavorable" references of this type constituted such a message, a Christian would then sin by: wearing a cloak (1Thessalonians 2:5, 1Peter 2:6),
drinking water (Numbers 19:9, 13, 20-21; 1Kings 22:27; 2Chronicles 18:26; Jeremiah 8:14, 9:15, 23:15), using an oven or heat or fire (Deuteronomy 29:24, 32:22; Psalms 21:9; Jeremiah 15:14, 17:14; Ezekiel 22:31, 38:19), eating bread (Deuteronomy 16:3; 1 Kings 22:27; 2 Chronicles 18:26; Proverbs 4:17, 20:17, 31:27; Isaiah 30:20), take a shower (Ezekiel 13:13)!
Just how ridiculous this line of thinking is
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