Why Jesus Drank Wine and I Don't

From Wesleyan Life Magazine

By Denn Guptill

Every wedding has a story. Perhaps the most famous wedding faux pas was the one where they hadn’t ordered enough wine, and halfway through the festivities the proverbial well ran dry. This story will never be forgotten—not because of the blunder, but because of how the mistake was corrected: Jesus miraculously turned water into wine, and everyone had enough to drink (John 2:1-11).

It’s a great story; it reveals a lot about Jesus’ character and personality. But sometimes I wish John had skipped it. It would have made it easier to justify The Wesleyan Church’s stance on alcohol consumption:

To demonstrate a positive social witness by abstaining from all forms of gambling and by abstaining from using or trafficking (production, sale or purchase) in any substances destructive to their physical, mental and spiritual health, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco and drugs (other than proper medical purposes of drugs). (From The Discipline 265:4)

Often when people hear about our stance they say, “But Jesus drank wine!” I concede that it does appear Jesus drank wine, and I will not insult your intelligence by trying to convince you that he turned the water into grape juice. As one pastor said, “Jesus turned the water into wine, and for the past two thousand years we’ve been trying to change it back.”

So because I’m sure I’m not the only one to field those questions, I thought this would be a great place to address why Jesus drank wine and I don’t.

It Was a Different Time

Imagine living in a time when water supplies were used for bathing and washing clothes, and there was no effective way to treat wastewater.

Add to that a lack of refrigeration, and you can understand what Palestine was like 2000 years ago. Drinking untreated water would have been dangerous, and the most practical solution was to use the antiseptic qualities of alcohol.

They drank wine 2000 years ago because there weren’t many options; today there are. You can go to a tap and get a glass of clean, safe water. You can go to your fridge and get a glass of cold milk or juice. If you need to take a beverage on a trip there are hundreds of safe options.

I don’t drink because I have other options.

It Was a Different Place

In Jesus’ day, wine was an important part of everyday life—from meals to celebrations. However, drinking alcohol was not recreational. Drunkenness was a social taboo, much like how people feel about drunk driving today.

Our culture’s view on drinking today is typified by writer Stephen King in his autobiography On Writing: “I found the idea of social drinking ludicrous—if you didn’t want to get drunk, why not just have a Coke?” Drinking a little in our culture can easily become drinking a lot. As Francis Scott Fitzgerald said: “First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.”

The scriptures do not clearly prohibit drinking, but it does prohibit drunkenness. Strongly. Galatians 5:19–21 says, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (NLT). That’s harsh: drunkenness will keep you out of heaven.

When does having a drink become drunkenness? I’m not exactly sure where that line would be for me—or whether when I got close to the line I would be able to keep on this side of it—so I don’t toe it.

I don’t drink because my culture doesn’t require it and often abuses it.

It Was a Different Brew

The wine that Jesus drank 2000 years ago wasn’t a whole lot different than the wine that is around today—somewhere between 3 and 11% alcohol content; but it was mixed with water, usually two parts water and one part wine. And there was nothing stronger than wine. Distillation was not discovered until about 1500 A.D. When the Bible speaks of strong drink, it’s referring to unmixed wine.

Are you going to follow Jesus’ example by drinking? Then you should be willing to limit your alcohol consumption to what his would have been. Also, if you intend to copy him, keep in mind that he prayed with devotion, he studied the Word of God, he fasted, and he tithed—not to mention that he gave up his life for others.

I don’t drink because it’s not even close to what Jesus was all about.

It Hurts Others

I have stood at the coffin of a teenager killed by a drunk driver, I have sat across the desk from women abused by drunk husbands, and I have seen marriages dissolve because of alcohol abuse. Addiction to alcohol happens subtly, and the results are devastating.

I don’t ever want to be someone’s example to drink. You might be able say that Denn drove you to drink, but you will never be able to say that you drink because Denn does. Romans 14:21 says, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble” (NLT).

I don’t drink because I will not support an industry that destroys lives, wrecks marriages, and kills people.

The Bible does not order you not to drink. But it does say, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts,” Ephesians 5:18-19 (NLT).

If you so badly want to drink, ask yourself why. And ask yourself what would be missing if you gave it up.

— Denn Guptil is a pastor and columnist