WineintheAncientWorld,Part2
ByR.A.Baker,Ph.D
Icontinuetobeamazedthat“WineintheAncientWorld,PartI”isnowaccessed
300-700timeseverymonth:over10,000timessince2009.Therearemany
preachers/writerswhobelievethisisasignofgrowingacceptanceofalcohol
amongevangelicalChristians,andmoralweakness.AlthoughImightagreethat
evangelicalsareslippinginourvalues,itisnotthefocusofthispaper.
Someofwhatmotivatesmeistopresentthehistoricaldataaccurately.Anyone
whohasreadmywritingsknowsthatIamdisappointedwithhowmanythingsI
wastaughtasayoungChristianinaProtestant/FreeChurchenvironmentthatwere
mostlyopinionsanddogma,butNOTasimpleandaccuratepresentationofthe
NewTestamentdata.Itypicallyrefrainfromusingtheterm“facts,”preferringthe
useof“data.”“Fact”comeswiththeimplicationthatthepresenterisobviously
correct,wheneven“facts”mustoftentimesbeinterpreted.
ForseveralyearsIbelievedandadheredtototalabstinenceofalcohol.Asa
youngmanIhadbeenpresentedwithatractarguingthatthewineintheBiblewas
non-alcoholic.ThemoreIstudiedthebiblicaltextthelessIcouldbepersuadedof
thisposition,afterall,ifPaultellsbelieversnottogetdrunktheyobviouslyhad
alcoholicbeverages.
Iamgoingtointeractwithacoupleauthors/articlesinthispaper,butmostlyIam
goingtopresentmyopinionsandinterpretationsofthedata.SomeofthearticlesI
willinteractwithrepresentwhatIheardasayoungman.Oneargumentisthat
wineintheNewTestamentwasofaweakeralcoholiccontentandwasdiluted
withwatersothatitwasvirtuallynotalcoholic.Anotherauthorclaimsthatthere
werebothfermentedwineandnon-fermentedgrapejuiceavailable.Heclaims
thatwhenthescripturesspeakpositivelyabout“wine”itisreferringtonon-
alcoholicgrapejuice;negativereferencesarespeakingaboutthefermentedwine.
Thissecondworkactuallycitesmypaperasasourceforhisevidencethatsome
“wine”wasindeedonlygrapejuice.Hesaysthatsomewritershaveclaimedthat
itwasimpossibletokeepwinefromfermenting,thussimplegrapejuicedidnot
exist.Ihavenotcomeacrossthisview,butIdonotdoubtthatsomeholdthis
position.
LetmemakeitclearfromthestartthatIwanttoupholdthestancegivenbytheNew
Testament.IamagainstChristiansbeingintoxicated.Paulisclearaboutthisin
Ephesians5:18.WhenIgivemyargumentsagainsttheviewsbelowitisNOT
becauseIamarguingforalcohol.Abstinencefromalcoholiscertainlyagoodoption,
butIamagainstthestancethattheNewTestamentteachesabstinencebecausein
myopinionthisisjustnottrue.
AttheendofPartIsomequestionsremainedforme:
1.Howcananywinebedilutedwithwaterandcontinuetotastegood?
2.Wasthereawaytohaveaconcentratedwinewithahigheralcoholiccontent
thatcouldwithstanddilution,keepgoodflavorandyetcontainenoughalcoholto
allowforfairlyeasyintoxication?
Iwanttooffermypossibleanswerstothesequestions.
Iwanttooffersomeargumentsagainstthepositionsgivenbyothers.
Possiblymoreimportantly,Iwanttooffersomepastoralthoughtsaboutmattersof
conscienceandhowIbelieveChristiansshouldapproachalcohol.
ItneedstobekeptinmindthatmuchofwhatisreadinPart2willbemypersonal
opinionsandinterpretationsofthedata(fromhistoricaldocumentsandfrom
communicationswithprofessionalwinemakers).Iwilltrytomakeaclear
distinctionbetweenmyopinionsandwhenIamusingdataagreeduponbymost
scholars.
AsIpointoutinPart1,theevidencefromancientwritersdoesindicatethatnon-
alcoholic“wine”wascommonlyservedmainlytowomen,childrenandslaves.
Winewascommonlydilutedwithwater,apparentlytostretchthewineandmake
itlastlonger,andtocutdownthealcoholicvolumeandtheriskofquick
intoxication.
SECTIONSPLANNEDFORPART2
I.Possibilityof“spiking”winewithsweetner,like“must”tokeepitfromover-
fermentation
II.EmotionalargumentsagainstChristiansdrinkingalcohol
OvertheyearsIhaveheardandreadsomeargumentsadvocatingfortotal
abstinencethatIwanttoaddress.IamsurethatIwillnotdealwithevery
argument,butthesearetheonesIhaveheardthemost.
Iwillgivecreditforsometruthfulnessinanemotionalargument,butintheend
emotionalargumentsarenotallowedinlogicaldebatefordiscoveringtruth.
Emotionalargumentsgolikethis:“Consumingalcoholiswrong(orsinful)
becausebeingdrunkleadstoDUIandtrafficdeaths.”
Probablyanyonemorethan25yearsoldknowsofsomeonewhowaskilledina
caraccidentthatincludedalcohol.Everyonewouldagreethatpeopleshouldnot
dieduetothemixingofalcoholanddriving.Butwhytakeawaythealcohol?
Whynotusethesamelogictosay“Drivingamotorvehicleiswrong(orsinful)?”
Beingdrunkleadstostupiddecision-making,injuryanddeath.
Nodoubtaboutthis.Itisimpossibletoargueagainstthisstatement,butifthisis
ourlogicweshouldabstainfromdrivingautomobilesandcallit“sin.”
-youcangetimpatientincongestedtrafficanddriverecklessly
-teenagers(especiallyboys)aretemptedtodrivefast,actstupidandgetinto
accidents.
Over33,000peoplediedincaraccidentsin2012.While30%oftheseaccidents
involvedalcohol,over20,000deathsdidnotinvolvealcohol.Yetwecontinueto
driveautomobilesandallowourteenagerstodrive.
Alcoholismhastornsomanyfamiliesapart
Yes,butthesamelogicwouldcallallChristians,evenmarriedones,toabstain
fromsex(liveincelibacy).Somemenseemtohaveverylittlepowerovertheir
sexdriveandtheirneedofmultiplewomen-adulteryhastornapartmanyfamilies
aswell.TherewereGnosticsectsthattaughtsexualabstinence.Thethirdcentury
gnostic-likeforgeryknownasActsofPaulandTheclarepresentsextremesexual
abstinence.TheShakers,an18thcenturyProtestant,charismaticsectalsotaught
sexualabstinence.Alloftheseproclaimedfreedomfromsexualityevenfor
marriedcouples.
Ifweintervieweddivorcedwomenandaskedwhatledtotheirdivorcewewould
ultimatelycometotheconclusionthatselfishnessiswhatthreatensanymarriage.
Itcouldbethemanisaworkaholicorthewomanisaspendaholic,butwewould
notteachabstinencefromworkorfromshopping.
Drinkingalcoholisbadforthebody,thustheTemple
UsingthislogicChristiansshouldabstainfromeatingfastfood;McDonald’s
wouldhavetobelabeled“sin.”
Thisemotionalargumenthaslostgroundinthelastdecadeorsoasmedical
sciencehasshownmoderatedrinkingofalcohol(especiallyredwine)tobegood
forthecardiovascularsystem.
Jesuswouldnothaveturnedwaterintoalcoholicwineandputpregnant
women/fetusesatriskortemptedthosewhomighthavepropensitytobe
alcoholics.
ThisisanargumentIhaveheardreferencingJohn2.AswasmentionedinWine,
Part1,womenandchildrenweretypicallynotallowedtodrinkalcoholicwine
andweregivenagrapejuicedrink.
Yes,thewinewouldhavetemptedsomewhostruggledwithalcoholism,butthe
logicwoulddemandthatJesusdidnotmultiplyfishandbreadorelseHewould
havetemptedsometogluttony.
Alcoholismhasageneticmarkerwhichmakescertainpeoplemorelikelyto
becomeaddicted
Formethisisthebestemotionalargumentfortotalabstinence.Butmostpeople
withadispositiontoexcesswill“sin”inmanyotherareas:work,food,sex,TV,
videogames,golf,gamblingetc.Itremainsdangerousforthosewhohavea
geneticpredisposition,buttodemandabstinenceforALLwoulddemand
abstinenceofvirtuallyeverythinguntilwecanbecertainthatapersondoesnot
haveanyinclinationtobeingcompulsive.
===========================
e.Christianleadersareurgedtoabstain
ThisisnotasmuchemotionalasjustaverypoorreadingoftheNTtext.
ThishastodowiththecommentsyoucitedbyJohnMcArthur.
LikesomanyChristianleaders,McArthuriscommittedtohisparticularstrainof
doctrineandthereforehasgreatdifficultyreading/interpretingtheNTtextwhenit
appearstogoagainsthisposition.Allowmetorefertothewebsiteyoupointed
metobelow.TherearemanyobviouspointsthatIagreewith,butwhenhegetsto
specificsItendtofinditdifficulttotakehimseriously.Inthesectionwhereheis
sayingthatrulersweretostayawayfromalcoholHecitestherequirementsfor
bishops/deaconsinthePastoralepistles:
“Andit’salsocrystal-clearontheissueofpeopleinleadership,stayingawayfrom
thatbecausetheyhaveresponsibilitybeforeGodnotonlytorenderright
judgmentsandtoteachtruthaccurately,buttosetapureexample.”
Hejustcitedthetextscorrectly,neitherofwhichstatestotalabstinence,yethe
givesthesummaryabove,"...it''scrystal-clear...peopleinleadership[speakingof
churchleadership],stayingawayfromthat[alcohol]becausetheyhave
responsibility...toteachaccurately..."
ThiskindofbiblicaltextusageisNOTresponsible.ThetextIScrystal-clear:
1Timothy3Whoeveraspirestobeanoverseerdesiresanobletask.2Nowthe
overseeristobeabovereproach,faithfultohiswife,temperate,self-controlled,
respectable,hospitable,abletoteach,3notgiventodrunkenness...8Inthesame
way,deacons[b]aretobeworthyofrespect,sincere,notindulginginmuchwine...
ThetextdoesNOTsaycompleteabstinence,yetthisauthorsaysinsummarythat
itdoes.
Titus16Aneldermustbeblameless,faithfultohiswife,amanwhosechildren
believe[b]andarenotopentothechargeofbeingwildanddisobedient...hemust
beblameless—notoverbearing,notquick-tempered,notgiventodrunkenness...
Paulsaysthesamethingregardingthewomen.Itwouldbedifferentifthese
passageshadsomedisagreement,butthereisclarity-avoiddrunkenness.Itdoes
notevensay"hemustNEVERbedrunk,"thusonecouldarguethataonetime
failingwouldnotdisqualifysuchaleader.
THISisthepositiontheChurchhasalwaysheld.IrealizethatProtestantsarenot
keenonlookingattheCatholicChurchforguidance,butdoyoureallythink
CatholicpriestsandmonkswoulddrinkANYalcoholifthetextclearlyforbadit?
NotonlytheCatholicChurch,butOrthodoxChurchandtheAnglicans
(Episcopalians)-allconsumealcohol.Itisverydifficultformetotakethiswriter
seriouslywhenhecannotcite/representclearbiblicaltextproperly.Atleastadmit
whatthetextsaysandthengiveyourrationale,butthisissadlylackingin
credibility.
f.Thosewhodrinkwillleadtheirchildrentodrink
Iwasauniversitypastorfor14years.Ididwitnessstudentsgocrazywhohad
comefromdrinkingparents,butjustasmanygocrazywhocomefromstrict
Christianparents.Thisnotonlyappliedtoalcohol,buttodrugs,sex,younameit.
Theparentsexampledoeshaveinfluence,butintheendeachyoungpersonmakes
theirownchoice.
Igrewupwithachain-smokingfather,butotherthan2-3timesasayouthIhave
neversmokedcigarettes.Icannotstandbeingaroundit.Ihavemetnumerous
youngmenandwomenwhoneverdrankbecausetheyhadgrownupwithan
alcoholicparent,soanecdotalevidenceandemotionalargumentcangobothways.
III.Churchhasnevercensoredalcoholuntilmodern-dayProtestantsand
Prohibition.
-Churchhasalwaysseenabstinenceasmorevirtuous
IV.Thisisanissueofconscience-Rom14
-likegambling,tatoos,playing/watchingfootball,eatingmeatorcaffeine
Iwouldtreatalcoholasamatterofconscienceandusetheprincipleslaidoutin
Romans14.WheretheNTisnotclearweshouldnotbedogmatic.So,my
thoughtsonalcoholarethesameasforgambling,tatoos,servinginthemilitaryor
police,caffeine,playingfootball,watchingRratedmovies(orANYmovies),
listeningtosecularmusic...onandon.TheNTdoesnotclearlycondemnanyof
theseactions,soneithershouldI.InterestingbecausetheChurch,withacapital
"C"hastypicallynotbrandedtheseissuesas"sin,"buthascautionedagainstthem
andurgedChristianstobecarefulandprayerful.TheChurchhasalsoalways
affirmeditasMOREvirtuousifyouchoosetorefrainfromtheseactivitiesdueto
yourfaith.
Iwillmoveontotheissueofhowancientwinecouldbemixedwithwaterand
stillretainflavor.Interestingly,mytheoryonthisinvolvesthepasteMcArthur
cites.Theydidboilwinedownandmakeapaste/jam-likesubstance.Almost
everythingtheydidintheancientworldwastokeepwinefromover-fermenting
andturningintovinegarwhichforthemostpartwasuseless.Theywantedtodrink
thewinethroughtheyearuntilthenextharvest-theydidnotwanttoreachthe
midyearpointandhavenowine/juicetodrink.IdescribethisinPart1.The
"must"wasusedto"spike"awinejar-addsugarintothewinetofeedtheyeast,
thuskeepingthewinefromspoilingandturningintovinegar.Thiswasonly
possibleIFtheownerhadtheabilitytokeepthewinecoolinadeepcellar
undergroundORbykeepingthecasksunderwater.Mostpeopledidnothavethis
kindoffacility,thushadtopurchasetheirdrinkingwine/juicefromavendor.Iam
nowusingwine/juicebecause,asIdescribedinPart1,itwascommonpracticeto
usethe"must"asawaytoaddwaterforagrapedrink-thiswasservedtowomen
andchildren,andtoslaves.Thisjuiceorwinedilutedwithjuicewasprobably
whatwassoldtothecommonerinthestreets.
ThisisalsowhatwasprobablyexpectedattheweddingwhenJesusturnedwater
intowineandtheguestsexclaimedhowgooditwas,10...“Everyonebringsout
thechoicewinefirstandthenthecheaperwineaftertheguestshavehadtoomuch
todrink;butyouhavesavedthebesttillnow.”Thisreferenceto"thebest"is
interesting.Iamthinkingitisnewwine,thusfreshandwithaloweralcoholic
content,butwecannotknow.Argumentsforitbeingnon-alcoholicaresolely
basedonthepresuppositionthatGodwouldnotwanttotemptanyonewith
alcohol.Weakargument.IhavereadthatJesuswouldnothavehadpregnant
womenconsumingalcoholthatwould/mightdamagethefetus.Well,womenwere
notallowedtodrinkalcoholanyway,sothatisjustnotagoodargument.My
theoryisthataddingthe"must"towinetokeepitfromturningtovinegaradded
flavor,sugarandpossiblyboostedthealcoholicleveljustabit.Thiscouldbean
explanationforwhytheancientssaidthatgoodwinecouldbedilutedwithout
killingthetaste.Thisisadifficultone.Iamhesitanttosaythattheancientshada
lesssophisticatedtastethanmoderns,butthereisprobablysomeofthishappening
especiallyamongcommonpeople.IknowthatIamnotabigwinedrinker.Ilike
addingregularjuice(appleorgrape)towine,usually20-30%.Ilikesweetwine.I
tendtothinkancientwinewasmoresweetthandry,butnobodyreallyknows
thesekindofdetails.Ijustknowthatnobodywouldlikeregularwinedilutedwith
1/2water-thiswouldbedisgustinglyweak.Ilovefruitjuice,butIcouldnotstand
appleorgrapejuicedilutedwith1/2waterunlesssugar/sweetenerwasadded...like
theuseofthis"jam"or"must."But1/2waterisjusttoomuch.1/3dilutionwas
morecommon,buteventhishastohavesomethingelsegoingontokeepthetaste
decent.Even1/3dilutionofstandardwinewouldyield3-5%alcohol.McArthur
saysalocalfamilywouldhavewineatfullstrengthof2-4%.Noideawherehe
getsthis.Normalwine,developedwithoutsophisticatedprocessesyields8-14%
dependingonthetypeofgrape,thetemperature,etc.IhaveNEVERheardof2-
4%unlessheistalkingaboutthe"new"wine.Ishesayingthattheydilutedthis?
Whatdidtheydrinkafterthe"new"wine?Thelocalgrowerisgoingtotakesteps
topreservetheirwineforlongerthanafewdaysorevenweeks.Thelongeritsits,
themorealcohol.Ok,sotheydiluteit.Atsomepointthesepeoplehadaccessto
enoughalcoholtogetdrunkiftheywantedto.Idonotknowofanyancienttext
thatindicatessomeonehastodrinkagallonofwinetogetdrunk.Thevolumes
seemtobeconsistentwithwhatwewouldencounter.Icannotkeepreadingthis
articlebyMcArthur.Hedoesnotknowwhatheistalkingabout.Heisrelyingon
RobertSteinwhomisrepresentstheancientwriters.McArthurshouldreadPliny
andColumellaforhimself-hewouldthenunderstandthattheseancientswere
workinghardtokeepwine(andallotherproduce)consumableforaslongas
possible.Inotherwords,tokeepfoods/drinkfromspoilage.Wine,lefttoitself,
fermentsuntilitbecomesvinegar.Untilthatlineiscrossedthealcoholcontentis
rising.
Sources:
AmirSarig
2004-2007–Recanatiwinery,assistantwinemaker.
2007-present–Taborwinery,winemaker.
Inaddition,Ownerofa15Havineyardandboutiquewinery(Sarigwinery)
Education:BSc–Biotechnology.Tel-Haicollege,Israel;MS–Oenology.
UniversityofAdelaide,Australia.
http://www.twc.co.il/en/Content_meeting.aspx?id=51
?2014-AllRightsReserved
Pleasedonotreproduceorcitethisworkwithoutpropercitation.
R.A.Baker,Ph.D.
www.churchhistory101.com
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