THE JESUS DRANK ALCOHOL ARGUMENT
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber . . . - Matt. 11:18, 19 (Luke 7:33-35)
Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? -- Luke 5:33
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever [Jesus?] is deceived thereby is not wise. -- Pro. 20:1
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour (glows?) in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (bubbles/ferments). --Pro. 23:31
Be not among winebibbers [Jesus?]. . . -- Pro. 23:20
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine . . . [How?] -- Hab. 2:5
And shall begin to . . . eat and drink with the drunken [Jesus?] . . . -- Matt. 24:49
For he (John) . . . shall drink neither wine nor strong drink . . . -- Luke 1:15
The argument is that Matthew 11:18, 19 is supposed to prove that while John the Baptist totally abstained from alcohol, while Jesus did not. While we agree that John, a Nazarite, totally abstained from alcohol, grape juice, grapes, and even raisins, we hardly believe the passage suggests that he totally abstained from food or drink. But who originated this such a statement in (Matt. 11). Not the Holy Spirit narrative! Not Jesus! Not the word of God! Not believers! Jesus quotes His unbelieving enemies. Was John a devil? Was Jesus a "glutton"or a "winebibber?" Did Jesus drink alcohol? No!
If associating with drinkers of large amounts of alcoholic wine be scripturally prohibited, Jesus would not contradict Himself and the Proverbs by eating and drinking with the drunken, gluttons, and winebibbers. (Still, if the word "winebibber" simply is to be taken literally as "alcoholic wine drinker," Jesus would not even be able to drink with moderate alcohol drinkers, let alone drink alcohol Himself.) We reject this inference/assumption, regarding Matthew 11:18, 19. Instead, we understand the passage in the light of Luke 5:33. The often fasting of John and his disciples is being compared and contrasted with the non-fasting of Jesus and disciples.
An Erring Jesus? No!
Woe unto them that are mighty [Jesus?] to drink wine [Jesus?], and men of strength [Jesus?] to mingle (Ps. 75:8) strong drink [Jesus?] . . . -- Isa. 5:22
. . . it is not for kings [Jesus?] to drink wine [Jesus?]; nor for princes [Jesus?] strong drink [Jesus?]: Lest they drink, and forget the law [Jesus?], and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted [Jesus?]. -- Pro. 31:4, 5
But they also have erred through wine [Jesus?], and through strong drink [Jesus?] are out of the way [Jesus]; the priest [Jesus?] and the prophet [Jesus?] have erred through strong drink [Jesus?], they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink [Jesus?]; they err in vision [Jesus?], they stumble in judgment [Jesus?]. -- Isa. 28:7
A bishop [Jesus, Bishop of your souls?] then must be . . . Not given to wine . . . [Jesus?] --1 Tim. 3:2, 3 (1 Pet. 2:25)
Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God. -- Deut. 29:6
Their wine (what kind?) is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. -- Deut. 32:33 (Ps. 58:4; 140:3)
The above evidence proves that Jesus was not given to alcoholic wine nor strong drink (dragon poison). Jesus is the Almighty, Mighty King, Prince, Priest, Bishop, Prophet, and a man of strength. Consequently, He never erred in vision, perverted nor stumbled in judgment, forgot the law, nor erred through mixed or mingled wine/strong drink (alcohol). He was never deceived, mocked, nor enraged by this cruel venom of asps and dragons. His followers are scripturally kings, priests, and even prophets and are expected to walk in His steps, being of the same mind as the master.
A Temperance Lesson, By Jesus, On the Cross
. . .and they filled a sponge with vinegar . . . and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar . . . -- John 19:29, 30
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. -- Matt 27:34
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. -- Ezek. 44:21
And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrr: but he received it not. -- Mark 15:23 (mixed wine -- Prov. 23:30, Ps. 75:8)
. . . one . . . filled a sponge full of vinegar . . . and gave him to drink . . . -- Mk. 15:36 (Matt. 27:48)
. . .soldiers also mocked him . . . offering him vinegar . . . -- Luke 23:36
. . .I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. -- Matt. 26:29
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. - Pro. 31:6, 7 (the wine of the condemned --Amos 2:8)
A study of the gospels reveals that the crucified Jesus was offered drink by the sympathetic, the unsympathetic, and the mockers. It is usual (in the light of Pro. 31:6-7) that anesthetics were offered to the dying. What is unusual is that Jesus refused to take advantage of such pain, thirst, and stress eliminators, which the scriptures permitted, yea, even sanctioned. (But then it is not good for kings to drink wine.) Jesus was perishing! Jesus endured severe pain, stress, strain, and distress on the cross. Still, he refused the mixed or drugged wine of the condemned. He also refused the vinegar mixed with gall. (Gall, here, no doubt, was either a narcotic or a euthanasia type poison. But then, alcohol and narcotics are truly poison, for they intoxicate, being toxic or toxins? They contain poisonous venom (Pro. 23:32)!
It is certain that neither the drugged wine nor the double fermented, non drugged vinegar (which Jesus finally drank) fell into the category of "the fruit of the vine," which Jesus promised NOT to drink, until He would drink it with His disciples in His Father's kingdom. Alcoholic wine is the fruit of fermentation and not the fruit of the vine. The vinegar is wine, when uncovered, harmlessly turns into vinegar (or grape juice, which has undergone double fermentation). The terms fruit of the womb, fruit of the land, fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of the vine, as used in scripture (Deut. 7:13; Eph. 5:9), refer to that which the womb, land, Spirit, and vine produces or brings forth not what the merry booze maker produces.
What Kind of Wine Did Jesus Drink?
And he took the cup . . . And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit OF THE VINE, UNTIL that day that I drink it NEW in the kingdom of God.-- Mk 14:23-25
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. -- Luke 22:18
. . . one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with VINEGAR, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. -- Matt. 27:48
When Jesus therefore had RECEIVED the VINEGAR, he said . . . -- John 19:30
. . . he will also bless the FRUIT of the WOMB, and the FRUIT of thy LAND, thy corn, and thy WINE . . . -- Deut. 7:13
But the FRUIT of the Spirit . . . -- Gal. 5:22
. . . milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. -- Deut. 32:14
In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. -- Isa. 27:2
The "fruit of the womb" is that which the womb PRODUCES. The "fruit of the land" is that which the land produces. The "fruit of the Spirit" is that which the Spirit produces. The "fruit of the vine" is that which the VINE PRODUCES.
The "fruit of fermentation" is that which fermentation produces. Jesus said that He was the "VINE" not the distillery nor the brewery. The type of wine that Jesus, God incarnate, produced, at the wedding of Cana, was the "fruit of the vine" or the wine found in nature, as God produces it. Not as the merry wine maker produces it. Fresh, new, natural wine was found, in the last supper "cup of blessing." Jesus used the "fruit of the vine" (new wine), at the last supper. He promised not to drink of that "fruit of the vine" until the kingdom. During the crucifixion, Jesus was offered both vinegar and wine, mixed with narcotics (Pro. 31:6), and He refused it. Still, in John 19:30, Jesus RECEIVED VINEGAR, proving that it was not the "fruit of the vine" but the "fruit of double fermentation," Wine is the "fruit of single fermentation" and not the "fruit of the vine”; single fermented wine ferments again to produce vinegar. When the process is partially finished, you have sour wine. So Jesus did not use either alcoholic wine or vinegar, at the last supper. He used the fruit of the vine, grape juice, vineyard wine, pure wine. Jesus would not:
1. put the bottle to his neighbour's lips.
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! -- Hab. 2:15
2. eat with the drunken or be among wine-bibbers.
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: -- Prov. 23:20
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken . . . -- Matt. 24:49
3. not lead them into temptation.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil . . . -- Matt. 6:13
. . .God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: - James 1:13
4. not deny His Priesthood, His Prophet hood, Princeship, Kingship, strength, Mightiness, His wisdom nor attest that He erred or was deceived.
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: -- Isa. 5:22
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: -- Prov. 31:4
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. -- Prov. 20:1
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. -- Isa. 28:7
5. not drink the cup of devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. -- 1 Cor. 10:21
6. not drink mixed wine
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. -- Prov. 23:30
7. not drink wine if it had moved or gave off a red glow.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. -- Prov. 23:31
8. not use wine that had leaven or which had been corrupted.
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. -- Acts 2:31
9. not use Old wine
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. -- Mark 2:22
Jesus would only drink new wine, sweet wine, fruit of the vine, fruit of the vine, pure wine, wine that was a blessing, vineyard wine.
– by Herb Evans, Flaming Torch - Ref. July/Aug/Sept 2000, p. 22