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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
A "Wine-Tasting" in Cana of Galilee
You would think it absurd for someone to suggest Jesus provided the alcohol for a beer-bust. But that’s just what some claim – that the events of John 2:1-11 describe a wedding at which Jesus “rescued” a very embarrassed host who had run out of wine. They say He made an intoxicating, alcoholic “wine” – not grape juice.
Why would anyone make such an outrageous claim? Because they want to find some biblical justification for social drinking, and this is their only possibility.
Most of us have learned our lesson on this subject, that when someone wants to do something bad enough they will find a “reason” for doing it. That is exactly what this is – a trumped up “reason” to go out with the boys and get just a little “tight.”
“But preacher, the Bible plainly says that Jesus made water into ‘wine,’ and everyone knows what wine is.” Sure enough, my dictionary defines wine as “an alcoholic drink made by fermenting the juice of grapes.” So, there! But what Jesus did took place centuries ago, in a land where the English word wine was neither known nor spoken. The New Testament is written in a language that is very precise in its meaning. What did “wine” – or oinos – mean then? That’s what we need to know.
In Paul Butler’s scholarly study of this subject, he answered that question with these words:
“It is a prejudiced and unscholarly determination that says the Greek word oinos must always mean an intoxicant anywhere it is used. In fact, New Testament and classical usage show that the word may mean a number of things. Thayer shows that oinos is even used of the vine itself, Revelation 6:6, rather than the juice. In classical Greek, usage may be cited to show oinos designating the grape itself, the juice still in the grape, the fresh pressed juice, and intoxicating drinks.”
So, what was the oinos Jesus made? Was it an intoxicating drink? Or grape juice? If someone is going to pontificate that it had to be an intoxicant, the burden of proof is theirs. If I categorically deny that it was alcoholic, the burden of proof is mine.
If Jesus did make an alcoholic beverage, He sure made a lot of it, and that factors into our discussion. In John 2:9 we are told that there were six water pots containing 2 or 3 “firkins” each. A firkin was about 9 gallons. At just 2 firkins each, Jesus must have made at least 120-160 gallons of “booze.” It certainly was enough to make a lot of people fall- down-staggering drunk.
If that is so, we must deal with another issue: did Jesus sin in making that “wine”? He lived “without sin” under the Law of Moses, Hebrews 4:15. That same law said:
“Woe to him that gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him drunk,” Habakkuk 2:15 [NKJV].
Does it make sense that Jesus made 100+ gallons of intoxicating wine, yet He was “without sin”? A real contradiction exists if that claim can be substantiated. But it cannot!
Another scholarly, documented study of Bible wines by archaeologist Joseph P. Free states:
“There was nothing in Bible times which corresponds to the intoxicating drinks of today. Natural fermentation produces a maximum of only about 14% content of alcohol, since a higher alcoholic content kills the yeast cells that produce it. In order to obtain a higher percentage of alcohol, freezing or distillation must be used, processes not known in ancient times. Actually, wine in ancient Palestine contained not over 5-8% alcohol. This constituted the strong drink of the Bible.” (Editor’s note: This was forbidden in the law of Moses, Leviticus 10:9, CBG).
There will never be enough evidence for someone who has made up his/her mind to drink. Those who need alcohol to be friendly and comfortable around others usually find an excuse to drink. But there is no justification for social drinking in the miracle of Jesus at that wedding in Cana of Galilee.
This was no “wine-tasting” affair for which Jesus provided the liquor. It was a family wedding where Jesus helped out a friend with a social emergency, but not with social drinking.
Carl B Garner
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“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long at the wine; Those who go in search of mixed wine.
Do not look upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly. At last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart shall utter perverse things.”
“Liquor has shed more blood, snapped more wedding rings, twisted more limbs, blinded more eyes, stolen more homes, armed more villains, cheapened more women, shamed more fathers, murdered more victims, robbed more houses and sent more people before God unprepared, than all the plagues on earth since the days of Pharaoh.”
“Jesus did miraculously what He and the Father had been doing through a grapevine, the earth, moisture and a growing season from the morning of time. He just speeded up the process.”
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The Devil's Beatitudes
Whew...talk about the hot seat!!!! This one should make us stop and shudder! If the devil were to write his beatitudes, they would probably go something like this:
Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend a few hours a week with their fellow Christians – they are my best work.
Blessed are those church members who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked – I can use them.
Blessed are the touchy who stop attending worship services -- they are my missionaries.
Blessed are the troublemakers – they shall be called my children.
Blessed are the complainers – I'm all ears to them.
Blessed are those who are bored with the preacher's mannerisms and mistakes – for they get nothing out of his sermons.
Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his home congregation – for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.
Blessed are those who gossip – for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
Blessed are those who are easily offended – for they will soon get angry and quit.
Blessed are those who do not give their contributions to carry on God's work— for they are my helpers.
Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister--for he shall be with me forever.
Blessed are you who, when you read this, think it is about other people and not yourself -- I've got you too!
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