The glorification of alcohol in the Bible -

There are dozens of references to booze in the Bible. In fact, the Good Book is positively soaked in alcohol. Wine is the tipple of choice, often appearing as a metaphor but also used as a symbol of blessing and judgment. And the Bible speaks of wine in general terms as a source of great happiness and joy, particularly in the context of nourishment and feasting. Beer, too, is imbibed in the Scriptures, knocked back through the pages in the same copious quantities. So, just how boozy is the Bible?

Click through and inebriate yourself with this fascinating account of biblical boozing.

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Genesis 9:21 -

The first mention of alcohol in the Good Book appears in Genesis 9:21 and presents Noah in a very unfavorable light, describing his inebriation as "he drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent."

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John 2 -

In the New Testament (John 2), Jesus miraculously made copious amounts of wine at the marriage at Cana.

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The Last Supper -

The Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus shared with his apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion and where he offered his disciples bread and wine, provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "Holy Communion" or "The Lord's Supper."

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Genesis 14:18 -

In Genesis 14:18 ,Melchizedek meets Abraham on his return from battle, gives him bread and wine, and blesses him in the name of "God Most High."

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1 Peter 4:3 -

Peter the Apostle, in 1 Peter 4:3, urges Christians to adopt God's will, admonishing those who don't: "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, carousing and detestable idolatry."

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1 Timothy 5:23 -

In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul encourages Timothy to use a little wine or grape products for his stomach's sake.

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Ecclesiastes 9:7 -

According to rabbinic tradition, Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon in his old age.  Ecclesiastes 9:7 reads: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do."

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Ephesians 5:18 -

Paul the Apostle's advice in Ephesians 5:18 is, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."

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Proverbs 23:20 -

"Do not mix with winebibbers, or gluttonous eaters of meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." So declared Solomon in the Book of Proverbs.

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Proverbs 20:1 -

"Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise." In other words, believed Solomon, a man committed to living a holy and virtuous life for the glory of God will be careful and fearful with wine and strong drink.

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Galatians 5:21 -

Paul the Apostle warns of lasciviousness by way of Galatians 5:19–21: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: drunkenness [...] and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

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Romans 13:13 -

Written while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s CE, Paul the Apostle reminds his readers to "behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy."

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Lot and his daughters -

The dangers and repulsiveness of intemperance are clearly illustrated by the story of Lot and his daughters, described in chapter 19 of the Book of Genesis. Lot's seduction by his eldest daughter after getting him inebriated and her subsequent pregnancy is one of the most explicit examples of drunkenness in the Bible.

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Proverbs 31:4-5 -

"It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer [...] lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights," (Proverbs 31:4-5). Although the Bible does not identify King Lemuel, Jewish tradition holds that Lemuel was a poetic name for Solomon.

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Psalms 104:14-15 -

In Psalms 104:14-15, David reminds the reader that, "He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts."

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1 Peter 4:3 -

In 1 Peter 4:3, Peter the Apostle writes: "For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries."

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Isaiah 5:11 -

The Israelite prophet Isaiah adopts an unfavorable tone towards those with an all-day drinking habit: "Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!"

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Jeremiah 25:27 -

In the Book of Jeremiah, its author issues this prophecy and subsequent warning: "You shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, "Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among you."'"

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Habakkuk 2:15 -

"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!" The prophet Habakkuk clearly didn't approve of drunkenness and debauchery!

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Luke 21:34 -

There's a warning by St. Luke the Evangelist in the Gospel of Luke that reads: "Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap."

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Proverbs 20:1 -

In Proverbs 20:1, King Solomon describes alcohol as such: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler." He goes on to suggest that "whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise." In this context, the word "mocker" relates to the fact that wine mocks: it starts fights; and it makes people foolish.

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Thessalonians 5:7 -

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul the Apostle concludes that, "For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night."

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Isaiah 5:22 -

Isaiah clearly wasn't enamored with those who imbibed alcohol to reinforce their social standing. He rebuked: "Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine,  And valiant men in mixing strong drink."

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Acts: 2:5 -

The Acts of the Apostles, likely written by St. Luke the Evangelist, includes a passage where Luke defends a charge leveled against the disciples that suggests they've all started drinking early. "For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day," the third hour corresponding to 9 am—the hour of morning worship, or sacrifice.

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Titus 1:7 -

In Titus 1:7, Paul the Apostle describes the virtues required to be as one with the Lord: "For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain."

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Samuel 1:5 -

In Samuel 1:5, Samuel's mother, mumbling in prayer, is initially thought by Eli to be drunk but is soon assured of both her motivation and sobriety: "No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord."

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Luke 5:39 -

Luke the Evangelist recalls Jesus' parable of the wine skins in Luke 5:39, where "no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'"

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John 2:10 -

In John 2:10, John the Apostle writes: "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This is a reference to Jesus and his changing water into wine and it being served later, with no one realizing that it is the best that is saved till last.

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Ecclesiastes 9:7 -

Alcohol is sometimes spoken of in general terms as a bringer and accompaniment of joy, for example in Ecclesiastes 9:7 where it reads: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do."

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Parable of the Good Samaritan -

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, wine mixed with oil is pored on the wounds of a beaten and wounded traveler by a Samaritan. The story is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. 

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Joel 1:5 -

In the Book of Joel there's a passage—Joel 1:5—that positively screams: "Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth." 

Sources: (BiblePuzzles.com) (Vatican.va) (TheTorah.com)

See also: The biggest unanswered questions in the Bible

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