Wine or Grape Juice?

Going to attend my firm's Happy Hour event this evening, just reminded again that some Christians are surprised that the Bible does not prohibit drinking of alcohol but rather drunkedness.

Many are even surprised that there was a specific instance when it was encouraged ;-)

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. " (I Timothy 5:23)

The latest scientific findings show drinking moderately is helpful for our heart and lowers cholesterol and high blood pressure. Guess early Christians were thousands of years more advance with their medical advice, maybe its time to visit the Holy Land to improve your health ;-)

There is a very good article on The Bible and Alcohol by Daniel B. Wallace. One of his paragraph is especially insightful and I think applies not only to Christianity but to most religions:

"Christians tend to compile rules and regulations that go beyond what is written; and when such grey zones are considered evil, ... It is a tragic irony that as one matures in the faith, all too often his life collects more and more oppressive chains of legalism. As much as there may well be good reasons for one to personally hold to certain convictions, we must be very careful about extending such beyond ourselves. "

Hmmm .... the much rioted over cartoons come to mind.

The writer has also pointed out that Wine’ occurs 236 times in the New American Standard Bible, 214 times in the New International Version, 230 times in the NRSV, and 210 times in the REB, although not all the statements are positive, they are not overwhelmingly negative as well.

Wine is so often connected with the blessings of God, it is strange that many modern Christians view drinking as the worst of all evils. It seems that many legalistic Christians automatically associate any forms of enjoyment as sinful. Unfortunately, this means that non-Christians will only know the Bible as a book of ‘Thou shalt nots,’ and God as a Person that creates anything enjoyable or beautiful just to deny us of that enjoyment.

The best balance on this issue can be seen when you compare Jesus and John the Baptist. John's Nazerite vow precluded him from drinking not only wine but he couldn't drink grape juice or even eat any grapes. (See Numbers 6). Jesus did not abstain from wine.

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children." (Matthew 11:16-19)

The most important point was that both respected one another and both recognized that their individual lifestyles were not universal principles.