...continued from previous post
6. It was and is in the nature of Christ to do good. The Apostle Peter stated in Acts 10:38:
Acts 10:38 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:
who went about doing good…
Albert Barnes explains this principle in the light of Jesus’ first miracle:
Jesus delighted to do good. In the very beginning of His ministry He worked a miracle to show His benevolence. This was the appropriate commencement of a life in which He was to go about doing good. He seized every opportunity of doing it; and at a marriage feast, as well as among the sick and poor, He showed the character of which He always sustained – that of a benefactor of mankind. An argument cannot be drawn from this instance in favor of intemperate drinking. There is no evidence that any who were present on that occasion drank too freely. Nor can an argument be drawn from this case in favour even of drinking wine, such as we have. The common wine of Judea was the pure juice of the grape, without any mixture of alcohol, and was harmless. It was the common drink of the people, and it did not tend to produce intoxication.
Again, after consideration of these facts, it is inconceivable from a Biblical perspective, to suggest that our Lord would have created an alcoholic substance which is not good but is harmful to the body. Also, Jesus the Great Physician and Creator of our bodies, who knows all things, designed our bodies to reject alcohol (in any quantity) because of its destructive potential. He therefore would not have bestowed upon men something which He is in infinite knowledge, purposely designed our complex bodies to reject. The Encyclopedia Britannica bears this out:
The body begins to dispose of alcohol immediately after it is absorbed.
This scientific fact is borne out by the Spirit inspired writer of 1 Samuel 25:37 when referring to Nabal’s complete recovery from drunkenness:
1 Samuel 25:37 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
Again, after consideration of the facts, can we accuse our Lord and Creator of ignorance?
7. Christ Himself warned against drunkenness and of drinking, and drinking with drunkards.
Matthew 24:45-51 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 12:45-46 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
8. Christ Himself denied that He was a wine drinker (winebibber).
When accused of this vice, Jesus stated, …But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:18,19; Luke 7:33,34). A paraphrase of this statement would read:
I am not a glutton neither am I a wine drinker, or a lover of evil deeds of tax collectors and sinners, and this fact will be justly declared by those who are my true children.
Today, those who are His true children will follow His example …that we might be partakers of His Holiness. (Hebrews 12:10b).
9. The Old Testament condemned drinking as well as drunkenness. (Proverbs 20:1; 23:31-35)
Since Christ was well versed in the Old Testament and did not contradict its teachings, the truth of His abstinence from alcoholic wine is firmly established.
10. He would have violated His own laws of Creation.
Speaking of Christ, Colossians 1:16, states:
Colossians 1:16 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Jesus as Lord and Creator, made all things perfect as Genesis 1:31 plainly states:
Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good….
Alcohol is developed by fermentation, a product of decay and death. It therefore could not have been created by our Lord, whose actions were totally consistent with the nature of God and Holy Scripture. The wine He created could only be the fruit of the vine which was not rotten and dead as is the case with fermented wine, but wholesome and fresh. Just like all the other fruits He produces on the trees yearly through His providence, which reflects His love for man.
It is sincerely hoped that after consideration of the facts that we have examined, that we grasp the seriousness of any allegations which may suggest that Jesus drank or made intoxicating or alcoholic wine.
It is also hoped that any doubts that the reader may have had in this area has been answered, as we have thoroughly looked at this subject from a Scriptural perspective.
Irrespective of any difficulties which may remain, there are still no excuses which can be drawn from Jesus’ first miracle to justify the use of alcoholic drinks. However, there are always those who do not want to understand the clear teachings of the Bible on this subject, and will not accept any truth which commands total abstinence from strong drinks, irrespective of how clear and Biblical it may be. We will therefore conclude this section with a wise quote from Albert Barnes’ Bible Commentary, which states:
No man shall adduce this instance in favour of drinking wine, unless he can prove that the wine made in the ‘water-pots’ of Cana was just like the wine he proposes to drink. The Saviour’s example may be always pleaded – JUST AS IT WAS – but it is a matter of obvious and simple justice that we should find out exactly what the example was before we plead it.
taken from Leighton G. Campbell's book, "Wine in the Bible and the Scriptural Case for Total Abstinence" pp. 160 - 166
