Wine in the Bible
I heard a pastor saying that the wine Jesus drank had no alcohol in it, but was just pure grape juice. What is the New Testament word for wine? Does it refer to something with or without alcohol? Was that pastor right? He is a very legalistic person, and I wonder if it has something to do with it. Gracias! Cathy
The following verses all use the common Greek word for wine.
Acts 2:13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” 14 But Peter … said to them … 15 “… these are not drunk, as you suppose…”
Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation…
Revelation 17:2 “… the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged. [The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, but translated in ancient times into Greek, using the same Greek word.]
We report, you decide.
Crushed grapes remain juice only a short period of time. Besides the natural corrupting agents in the air, the grape has a powder on its surface which acts as a natural fermenting agent. In modern times, methods of preserving grape juice have been developed.
I remember a preacher who challenged another preacher about this. He said, “You take your cup of grape juice and leavened bread, and I’ll take my cup of wine and unleavened bread, and we’ll both put them in the closet. A week later, we’ll both come back, and I’ll eat my unleavened bread and drink my wine, and you’ll eat your leavened bread and drink your grape juice, and then I’ll preach your funeral.”