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NASB | Revelation 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 17:2 she with whom the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality." [Jer 25:15, 16] |
Subject: Define wine, please? |
Bible Note: Greetings Tam! Please excuse me if I take some time to reply occasionally. Between my duties as the pastor of a church, I also work full time as a baker, am married, have four children, and four grandchildren. In other words, I can get quite busy at times. :-) Allow me to address your questions separately. 1) Which word for wine does Paul use in 1 Cor. 11? Actually, the word wine does not appear in 1 Cor. 11. He uses two words that make most people assume that he must have been speaking of fermented wine - cup and drunk. Here is where translators have to be very careful, because the translation can deeply influence interpretation. I use the Logos Bible Software many times when I want to study the Greek text. When I clicked on the word 'cup', the program gave the simple definition as 'wine cup'. However, the word only means 'cup'. Sometimes, for instance in Mark 9:41, the word refers to a cup of water. We simply can't be sure what the cup contained since the text does not tell us. Many assume that since the Jews used wine in their passover celebrations that the early Christians must have as well. However, that is only an assumption. :-) 2) Were they getting drunk? Again, we have to be careful of our translations. V. 21 says, "for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk." (NIV) The translation 'drunk' could be accurate, but the verb could also mean 'satisfied or full'. This would also make sense in the context of the passage and of the verse since the contrast is between one who is hungry and one who is satisfied or filled. Either way, it does not make a lot of difference concerning the meaning of the passage. What ever they were doing was wrong and they were being condemned because of it. 3) Why were they dying? This question can actually be answered from the text itself. 1 Cor. 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. They were not dying because they were drunk but because they were drinking the cup in an unworthy manner. Paul closes out this passage with a command to eat at home if one is hungry. The sin appears to be that instead of remembering the death of Christ, people were simply stuffing their faces. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |