Contextual study
Alcohol
In short
Scripture speaks of wine as a gift that “maketh glad the heart of man”, and Jesus made it at Cana. It condemns drunkenness without exception, warns of wine's pull, keeps leaders from being given to wine, and tells believers to give it up wherever it would make a brother stumble.
1Wine as a gift
The Psalm counts wine “that maketh glad the heart of man” among God's provisions, beside bread and oil. Ecclesiastes says, “drink thy wine with a merry heart”. Jesus' first sign was making water into wine at a wedding, and the governor of the feast said He had “kept the good wine until now”.
14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
Psalms 104:14-15
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Ecclesiastes 9:7
9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
John 2:9-10
2Drunkenness is sin
“Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Paul lists drunkenness among the works of the flesh, and drunkards among those who “shall not inherit the kingdom of God”. Proverbs says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging”.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Ephesians 5:18
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:21
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:10
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1
3Wine's pull
Proverbs asks who has woe, sorrow, contentions and “wounds without cause”, and answers: “They that tarry long at the wine”. Wine goes down smoothly, but “At the last it biteth like a serpent”. Isaiah pronounces woe on those who rise early “that they may follow strong drink”.
29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Proverbs 23:29-32
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
Isaiah 5:11
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isaiah 5:22
4Leaders and wine
Overseers must be “Not given to wine”, and deacons “not given to much wine”. Proverbs gives the reason for kings: “Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1 Timothy 3:3
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1 Timothy 3:8
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Titus 1:7
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Proverbs 31:4-5
5Those who abstained
A Nazarite separated himself “from wine and strong drink” for the days of his vow, and John the Baptist would “drink neither wine nor strong drink”. Abstaining for the Lord is honoured, though Scripture does not require it of everyone.
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
Numbers 6:3
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
Luke 1:15
6Love limits liberty
Paul says, “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth”. Whatever a believer eats or drinks is to be done “to the glory of God”. Peter adds, “Be sober, be vigilant”.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Romans 14:21
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8
Commonly taken out of context
1 Timothy 5:23 is quoted as a general Bible endorsement of drinking, as if Paul tells everyone to drink wine.
It is personal advice to Timothy, who drank only water and was often ill: “a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities”. The same letter says leaders must be “Not given to wine” (1 Timothy 3:3).
Takeaway
“Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Keep studying
Verses are from the King James Version. Each point is shown from at least two passages.