Did Jesus Drink?

Did Jesus Drink?

By Danny Hum

Copyright Danny Hum 2017, All Rights Reserved

Published by Danny Hum, Distributed by Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Scripture Quotations

Scriptures are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible--unless otherwise noted.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Among Winebibbers

Chapter 2: For Whom the Drink Pours

Chapter 3: Drinking and Vice

Chapter 4: Wine the Medicine

Chapter 5: To Drink or Not to Drink

Chapter 6: Godly Drinking Examples?

Chapter 7: Did Jesus Drink?

Chapter 8: Wine, Wine, Wine

Chapter 9: New Time Wine

Chapter 10: Eating and Drinking

Chapter 11: Following Which Jesus?

Chapter 12: Teaching Right Way?

About the Author

Introduction

I’ve read your study. And I disagree.

I eagerly waited for this assistant pastor to express his biblical basis for his disagreement on this subject we’ve debated many times—but he had no further comment. Anyone may disagree with this study, yet what is the biblical basis for disagreement?

It may be argued that someone who does not have a seminary or Bible college degree in Bible matters is not qualified to teach. Yet with God’s help, everyone may read and study the Bible. God grants insight and wisdom (Psalms 119:99). No one’s perfect, including this author. Check out any conclusions stated herein with the Bible, letting the Bible be the final authority and the final judge. Are folks’ conclusions based upon much of the Bible or upon extrapolations from limited Bible references or upon mainly church teachings?

Another seemingly valid argument against this study is that there are no references to the Greek or Hebrew. Indeed, having a focus on the Greek or Hebrew can just as easily lead us astray if we should choose the wrong Greek or Hebrew definition, going down the wrong interpretative trail or path. I mention an example of such a wrong path regarding the Bible’s use of the word wise within this study. However, we can learn from the English language Bible with the appropriate cross-referencing of the Scriptures supporting Scriptures, and Scriptures interpreting Scriptures. Unless indicated, all Scriptures quoted are from the King James Version.

This study may provide the reader with a firmer biblical foundation for any debate on such questions of whether Jesus Christ drank or did not drink alcoholic wine, why God allows for the production of alcoholic wine, and the biblical meanings for eating and drinking. This Bible study may refer to pastors and teachers in general (not all as there are exceptions), with teachers meaning Sunday school teachers, deacons, authors, speakers, and any others who claim to teach from the Word of God.

The Bible is very complex, and any topic we choose to study may have unlimited branches of interest. Hence, in this study, brief asides or comments may be made on equally important subjects, but we try to stay on the main subject. The reader may continue his or her own studies on tangential paths letting the Bible be the guide. Church or denominational doctrines may be misleading.

(Table of Contents)

Chapter 1: Among Winebibbers

Did Jesus drink? What was Jesus doing among winebibbers?

These are reasonable and honest questions for those who do not know the biblical teachings about the Lord Jesus Christ when He was incarnate on earth.

A. Eating and Drinking with Sinners

Jesus ate and drank with sinners and was called a winebibber, that the Bible is clear. Thus, many people firmly claim that Jesus drank wine, like the alcoholic wine we have today, citing the following.

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:19)

The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! (Luke 7:34)

From these passages, many have concluded that as Jesus ate and drank with publicans and sinners. And His drinking must have included what the publicans and sinners drank namely alcoholic beverages. Truly, with apparent clear biblical support, many may argue, Jesus drank wine so we may drink wine. Case closed.

A simple reading of the Bible appears to allow the conclusion that Jesus drank wine. Hence many may claim and exercise their own purported biblical right to drink alcohol, such as wine and beer. May we draw conclusions from the reading of only one or two verses or passages of the Bible?

In contrast, other folks may counter, Jesus did not drink wine. We should not drink wine. However, do these folks have a biblical basis for their beliefs? These verses do not say that Jesus did not drink alcoholic wine. Indeed, the real debate is, did Jesus Christ drink alcoholic wine as we know it today?

These are questions I’ve debated many times with an assistant pastor. However, before this study, I had more of an emotional response to this subject. Yet I was unable to biblically justify my debate position, that Jesus Christ did not drink alcoholic wine. I could only say, I don’t think it is right…. Yet that is not biblical doctrine.

It was many years later that I decided that I had to find the biblical answer to this matter. And if the Bible teaches that Jesus did drink alcoholic wine, I would have to accept that the assistant pastor was correct, and that I was wrong. So what does the Bible teach on this matter?

1. A Gluttonous Winebibber…?

The Bible states that Jesus came eating and drinking, not just came drinking. And for these two activities, Jesus was called a gluttonous man and a winebibber. But is this Bible record that the Son of man came eating and drinking and His being called a winebibber positive biblical proof that Jesus drank alcoholic wine?

Indeed, many may firmly hold to their claim and conclusion that Jesus drank wine to justify their own wine drinking. And they may further extrapolate that to include other alcoholic beverages.

However, if we choose to conclude from these verses that Jesus was indeed a winebibber, then we must by default also conclude that Jesus was a gluttonous man. Meaning, was Jesus gluttonously eating as well with those publicans and sinners? Are both these accusations true, and thus are such conclusions from God’s selective wording of these verses correct?

Truly gluttony is not usually associated with the eating of bread. But gluttony is known in society as one of the seven deadly sins. And drinking is also closely associated with sins in society. Hence, this may lead to an unintended or unconscious undesirable conclusion about Christ, as we may soon see.

2. Not Eating and Not Drinking

Do limited Bible readings or citations render proper Bible understanding? Let’s expand our readings to neighboring verses.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:18–19).

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! (Luke 7:33–34)

These additional verses teach that John the Baptist did not eat bread or drink wine, but Jesus ate and drank. It may be important to know that John did not drink wine, but why is it important for God to tell us that John did not eat bread? Thus, we may be living by erroneous conjecture if we believe that Jesus ate bread and drank wine, and therefore He drank alcoholic wine such as we have today.

However, we note that God is deliberately silent on what Jesus ate and drank in these verses. Furthermore, what was said about John the Baptist? It is recorded that because John did not eat bread or drink wine that he was accused of having a devil. Indeed, was John under the control and guidance of a devil?

If we were to take the recorded accusations as truth, then John had a devil. Is this correct? Despite the accusations against him, how may we biblically prove that John did not have a devil? Again, Christ was accused of being a gluttonous man and a winebibber. But how can we prove from the Bible that Christ was not a gluttonous man? Consequently, that may also prove that Christ was not a winebibber—He did not drink alcoholic wine. Yet, how many folks wish to prove that Christ did not drink alcoholic wine?

3. John the Baptist and a Devil?

Did John the Baptist have a devil? What is the biblical truth about John?

Who was John? John was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth (Luke 1:57–66). He was called to be the righteous voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way for Christ to be announced.

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. (John 1:23)

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Luke 3:4; see also Matthew 3:3 and Mark 1:3)

John was a great prophet of God. Can we rightly say that John was lead by God to do the will of God? Can a great prophet of God have a devil, as accused?

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11; also in Luke 7:28)

Could John have served two masters at the same time? Would a devil have John declare the way of the Lord? Would God allow that to happen? We may read of an