Bible Question: I know there is a difference between new wine and fermented wine...and I cannot believe that Jesus drank of the fermented...would He really partake in something that the Bible gave so many warnings against? I know there was a new wine...pretty much like grape juice...that most drank with their meals instead of the contaminated water...but I am looking for scriptures to further or more concretely back this? |
Bible Answer: Jesus drank fermented wine as did every Jew of his day (as well as their children) during the Passover. Only those taking a Nazarite Vow would abstain from fermented wine or anything from the grape vine for a period of time (about 3 months usually). Or in the case of Samson, for life. Some Pastors teach that Jesus and the first Christians did not drink fermented wine in order to justify their church's "rule" to not drink at all, but these arguments are not historically accurate. If a church chooses to make a "rule" to abstain from alcohol of any kind, that is fine. Elders can add certain rules or yokes for their congregations (binding and losing), and their congregations should abide by them if they attach themselves to that community of believers, but to claim something about Jesus and the disciples that is patently false to justify it is wrong. MJH Scripture: Num 6:3; Luke 1:15 (why say John the Baptist can not drink "strong drink" if no one did?); John 2; 1 Cor 11:21; etc... |