Biblical Wines

Biblical Wines

Written and published by Timothy and Liza Murphy

Copyright 2015 Timothy and Liza Murphy

Smashwords Edition

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Special thanks to Our Lady of Victories Church, Quezon City, Philippines, for their kind assistance in making the cover picture possible.

This book is dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: In the Beginning

Chapter 2: Drink of the Day

Chapter 3: Purpose of a Vineyard

Chapter 4: Cup of Divine Wrath

Chapter 5: Blessing and Curse

Chapter 6: Drunkenness and Stumbling Block

Chapter 7: Sacrificial Offerings

Chapter 8: Medicinal

Chapter 9: Summary

Abbreviations

References

Introduction

This is a brief Fundamental study of Biblical Wines; new and old. There has been much discussion and argument between various Christian and non-Christian groups involving the use and consumption of wine. And, whether or not the wine referred to in the Bible is fermented or unfermented in certain applications. Questions have been raised about whether or not Jesus actually drank fermented wine.

In recent years, some Protestant Christians have argued against the Catholic Church’s use of wine in the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass. A number of modern scholars and teachers have written and taught that new wine is to be used during the Communion Rite of the Mass, and that the new wine mentioned in the Scriptures is non-fermented, thus merely grape juice, while the Catholic Christians, and some other Christian groups, actually, require the use of fermented grape wine.

And, similar arguments are made against any use or consumption of any fermented drink of any kind, supposing scripture to say that any consumption of wine, or other alcohol, is a sin, and strictly prohibited by God.

Does the Holy Bible forbid the consumption of wine?

Is it a sin to drink fermented beverages?

Is new wine always to be considered unfermented wine?

Did Jesus ever drink fermented wine?

Did the Apostles drink fermented wine?

Did Jesus ever make fermented wine?

Was fermented wine a part of daily life for most people during Biblical times?

Was fermented wine a divinely accepted and required part of worship during Biblical times?

If so, is it still a divinely accepted and required part of worship today?

If not, when did God announce His prohibition?

Did the Chalice contain wine at the Last Supper?

Should fermented grape wine be used in the Masses of today?

These issues and others will be studied. We will look for any Sacred Scriptures that will support or deny such claims on either side of the issues.

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the scriptural applications and admonitions involving wine and other alcoholic beverages. This is strictly not done to give the alcoholic an excuse to drink alcohol, nor is it done to encourage the use and abuse of alcoholic beverages. This study is done for edifying purposes only. The Spirit of God is our focus, rather than, the spirit of the bottle.

This is not an exhaustive study on the subject of wine. However, it does cover the primary issues about the subject of wine, which are mentioned throughout Sacred Scripture, from the Book of Genesis to The Apocalypse of St. John (Revelation).

We will begin our study with the first Biblical mentions of wine and examine some of the words used for wine. Later we will see wine become a custom to drink with meals. We will look at the two primary sides of wine; use and abuse. We will even see wine portrayed as a blessing and a curse. Further on, we will look into the history of the sacramental use of wine and, yes, even the medicinal uses of wine.

As we study, let us keep in mind the teachings of St. Paul:

"If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to godliness, 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strife’s of words; from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil suspicions, 5 conflicts of men corrupted in mind and who are destitute of the truth, supposing gain to be godliness. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out… 20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called. 21 Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. (1 Tim 6: 3-7, 20-21)

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Chapter 1: In the Beginning

And Noah a husbandman began to till the ground, and planted a vineyard. 21 And drinking of the wine was made drunk, and was uncovered in his tent. (Gen 9:20-21) (Hebrew: Yayin; Greek: Oinos; Latin: Vinum)

The biblical history of wine appears to have begun in those two verses, with Noah planting the first vineyard, and producing wine from it. Those verses show the effects of the fermentation of grapes, causing them to become what is called, wine.

Of course, Noah was likely innocent of the intoxicating effects of his newly discovered drink. The Church Fathers, the ancients of the Christian Church, go so far as to speak of his drunkenness as being done without sin. And, it is doubtful that he sinned the mortal, or deadly, sin of Gluttony because his body was not accustomed to the consumption of fermented beverages, and therefore, a small amount of new or old wine would have had a strong inebriating effect on him. And, after all, the creation of wine was new to him, so he would be innocent as to what the effects of fermentation would be.

Just as Noah struggled with the challenges of wine, so it was for mankind for thousands of years to follow. Biblical history shows the constant struggle man has with wine, the good and the bad effects of it, and the good and the bad uses of it.

The word wine, in the Bible, is translated from numerous different words, in different languages and dialects. The three primary ancient languages of the Bible are Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. With each having many different words for wine, depending on the context and type.

Some Hebrew words for wine are: Asis, Hemer (Red or Pure wine), Hemez (vinegar wine), Chemer or Chamar or Khamar (Aramaic), Mesech, Mezeg, Shekar (strong drink), Sobe or Sove, Tiros, and Yayin. (Arabic: Sukkar, meaning sugar)

Some of the Greek words for wine are: Gleukos, Methe, Oinos, Oxos, and Sikera (strong drink).

Some Latin words for wine are Vin, Vini, Vino, Vinum, Vinarios, Must, Mustum, Musto, and Sicera Bibistis (strong drink or hard liquor).

As indicated above, the words Yayin, Oinos, and Vinum, are the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words used in the first scriptural mention of wine. Those three ancient words are the most commonly used words in the ancient manuscripts to describe an intoxicating wine. And, the person who consumed the wine, namely Noah, became drunk. Thus, strongly inferring that the wine was fermented. The verse speaks for itself, and describes the wine’s fermentation by the effects it had on its consumer.

So, what good does it do to know these words for wine in the various languages used? Quite simply because doctrines have been written and disputed on the definitions of these words. However, rather than get into long deliberations over definitions, interpretations, and translations we will primarily focus on the Holy Bible, in its English form, and view the word wine, or other words describing intoxicants, in the context of each verse in which it appears. We will also provide the commonly used Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words used for wine and other intoxicants, so the reader can distinguish as to what the word means in the context of the Scripture where it is used.

An example of this would be the Greek word Gleukos and the Latin word Musto, which are commonly considered to mean new wine and are found in Acts:

But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine. (Acts 2:13)

Then later, St. Peter speaks of those who appear to have been drunk, and says:

But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your ears receive my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. (Acts 2:14, 15)

The situation was the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The third hour meaning what we now call 9:00 o’clock in the morning. This was a Festival day for the Jews, and on such days they did not eat or drink anything, other than water, until after the morning prayers were sung, which were concluded around mid-day.

Even unfermented grape juice was not to be consumed, until the prayers were sung, not that such would cause drunken behavior, which is what the mockers were alluding to. The Apostles and their companions appeared to be drunk… on grape juice? That’s what some scholars say that Gleukos is.

However, the words used for new wine, by the understanding of the people in those verses, was an intoxicant of some form. Therefore, it matters not what language is used for wine, or new wine, in that verse, because the contextual use of the word is self-defining.

Obviously, no one would have considered them to be drunk on unfermented grape juice. One can easily conclude that the words Gleukos and Musto are certainly used to describe a fermented wine, whether it is new, sweet, or otherwise. Either way it is intoxicating.

There should be no confusion about the words Gleukos and Musto. They merely describe the wine as being sweet. The younger or newer the wine is, the sweeter it is. That is common knowledge. Just because a wine is sweet that doesn’t mean it’s not intoxicating when it’s consumed. One only needs to pick up a cheap bottle of this years’ wine at any liquor store to find out. It is sweet, it is intoxicating, and it is new wine.

Another example of this is found in the book of Hosea. Here, wine is described two ways, inferring some difference between the two. For this verse the commonly used Hebrew word for wine is Yayin, and the commonly used Hebrew word for new wine is Tiros:

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. (Hosea 4:11 KJV)

A sober mind can discern from that verse that wine, old and new, is fermented. That verse makes the point very clear. However, that is, if new wine even legitimately exists in that verse, as most modern scholars say it does.

It is important to note that not all translations come up with new wine in that verse, i.e., the Vulgate (VG) simply states, Fornicatio, et vinum, et ebrietas auferunt cor. Which easily translates into English as:

Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, take away the heart. (AT)

The Douay-Rheims Bible (DR) uses understanding instead of heart, but goes with drunkenness rather than new wine:

Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness take away the understanding. (Hosea 4:11)

The Latin Vulgate is the oldest and most complete text available, so, on most matters, it tends to be the most trustworthy. Whether modern scholars choose to admit it or not, there has been a great deal of tampering with Hebrew and Greek manuscripts over the years, even before the Incarnation of Christ.

Unfortunately, we do not have as reliable of resources available to us as St. Jerome did in the 4th century AD. The likelihood of a well-meaning addition to the verse by later Hebrew and Greek writers and/or the chance of error is good. Oddly, even the most commonly used Greek Septuagint manuscripts also use the word drunkenness, rather than new wine (Methe).

However, most modern English versions still favor the use of new wine in that verse, despite its absence in most other ancient texts. But, suppose it belongs there as the modernists say it should, it speaks of intoxication, either way.

So, why do some believe that new wine, as mentioned in the Scriptures, is merely grape juice, despite the obvious contradictions to the context in which the words