Doesn’t Jesus support the drinking of wine? Part 2

The whole of Scripture is clearly and adamantly against the consumption of alcohol, but human nature will look for any textual ambiguity as a “loophole” to justify drinking it. An example of this is the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. “When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from … the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ ” (John 2:9, 10).

Those who support the intake of alcohol suggest this must have been alcoholic wine—after all, it was a wedding, and every wedding has wine … right? But let’s consider the implications. There were six pots for Jesus to fill, and each of those would hold 20 to 30 gallons. That’s up to 180 gallons of beverage! Are we to believe that Jesus made 180 gallons of a destructive drug, enough to get every guest drunk and launch this new marriage with slurring lips and staggering feet? Indeed, He would have been acting against His own Word!

The best conclusion is that Jesus made unfermented wine—and the governor of the feast complimented the groom on its pure quality (John 2:4, 6, 10). Fermented wine could be found in Israel all year long. This is the reason that the master of ceremonies was so surprised. He was marveling that someone had produced so much fresh grape juice that normally could only be found during the harvest.

Although fermented and unfermented wines are translated from the same original word, the biblical context establishes that no alcoholic drink is approved by God. Jesus certainly wouldn’t go contrary to the Old Testament, which forbade the use of fermented wine (see Proverbs 23:29–32). It is true that “wine” is approved for use in the Bible, but this is the pure juice of the grape without fermentation.

Key Bible Texts

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. (John 2:3 KJV)