Response: There are some Christians who maintain that Jesus never drank
alcohol. They argue that the word translated wine could be either alcoholic or
non-alcoholic and there is no indication that he ever drank fermented products.
Others would say that he might have had fermented wine. In that day, wine was
fermented but not to the degree it is today. They would point out that the
Bible never says that it is wrong to drink wine and there is no medical
evidence that wine drunk in moderation is bad for the body.
In
New Testament times, the water was not very clean. Without modern sanitation
efforts, the water was often filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of
contaminants. The same is true in many third-world countries today. As a
result, people often drank wine because it was far less likely to be
contaminated. Paul told Timothy, who was having
stomach trouble, to stop drinking the water (which was probably
causing his stomach problems) and to drink a little wine to benefit his health.
He tells him that he should drink a little wine
for his stomach's sake. "No longer drink only water, but use a
little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities." (1Timothy
5:23)
The latest scientific findings show
drinking moderately is helpful for our heart and lowers cholesterol and high
blood pressure.
Of course, the Bible does condemn drunkenness. The
Apostle Paul warns us that we should not be drunk with wine, wherein is excess.
He said, “do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation;
but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians
5:18).
Titus 1:7 states that a minister of God should not be
given to wine or an alcoholic. Drunkenness is clearly a sin (1Timothy 3:8).
I have seen what alcoholism can do to a
person. But I have also seen many people who could take one drink without any
apparent harm. This has long been a point of argument between some Christians.
In recent years it is becoming a major issue in Islam as well, as many Muslims
in Europe and even Muslim countries have regrettably acquired the habit of
drinking a little or a lot.
Wine is not evil, only the misuse of it
is evil, and the Bible condemns misuse of it. There are many things that are
not evil of themselves, but their misuse is evil. Medicine may have unpleasant
temporary (or even permanent) side-effects whilst removing or diminishing more
serious or fatal ailments