WINE AND THE BIBLE
Should the Christian abstain from drinking wine, or is the drinking of wine in moderation acceptable behavior? There are many scripture references to wine in the bible, and admittedly most of the references present wine in a bad light, in the sense that the drinking of wine can have consequences that put oneself in an easier position to sin, if one is not already in sin for the very fact of being drunk. Paul says in Ephesians 5,18: “Do not be drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery [wickedness, sin+.” On a similar (if not stronger) note, he tells the church in Corinth: “you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.” (1 Cor. 5,11) So clearly drunkenness is a non-starter if one wants to live righteously. The reason why scripture issues so many different warnings regarding wine is because it is very tempting to drink wine so as to induce a loss of control over oneself or others, the effect of wine in large quantities being that of a drug. At the same time there are other instances in scripture where the drinking of wine is not presented negatively, or at least, it is presented in a neutral way.

First and foremost, if one had to look at the way in which wine is presented in the Gospels, we will discover that Jesus (according to John’s gospel) performed his first miraculous sign at the wedding in Cana, the miracle being none other than the changing of water into wine, and wine of the best quality it seems (Jn. 2,1-11). Secondly Jesus earned himself the slanderous comment of “glutton and drunkard” (Matthew 11,19) obviously not meaning that he was such but at least it indicates that Jesus did not abstain from wine. Ultimately at the Last Supper it was bread and wine that Jesus used to institute the sacrament of the Eucharist.

On the praise of wine we find the following:
“[God makes] wine that gladdens the heart of man.” (Psalm 104,15)

“Your love is more delightful than wine” (Song of Songs 1,2; see also 1,4 and 4,10)

“On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.” (Isaiah 25,6)

Paul’s advice to Timothy was to “stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” (1 Timothy 5,23)

Finally in the book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) we find this interesting comparison: “Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, you shall drink it with pleasure.”