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John 2 – Does Jesus Turning Water into Wine Condone Drinking?
Does Jesus Turning Water Into Wine Condone Drinking Alcohol?
I am biased against alcohol. It bothers me when people cite Jesus turning water into “wine” as evidence that drinking alcohol is acceptable. It also bothers me that I cannot find a scripture which says all and any alcohol is forbidden. So what should we do about John 2?
First, for the sake of argument, let’s not argue over whether the “wine” was fermented or not. I’ll grant that it was. Possibly, it wasn’t.
Second, would anyone argue that the purpose of John 2 was to approve drinking? If anything, such is incidental. What is the purpose then? Jesus manifested His glory (2:9) as one with power over creation so that people could believe in Him. Power over creation, remember that.
Third, have you noticed the similarities in John between the wedding scene and the crucifixion? They act as twin stories.
1. Mary, Jesus’s mother is there: (2:1; 19:26-27).
2. Both are introduced by days: 3rd day (2:1) and day of preparation (19:31).
3. Both occur on special occasions: wedding (2:1) and high Sabbath (19:31).
4. New homes are began in both: marriage (2:1): mother-son (19:26-27).
5. Both use the key word “believe” (2:11; 19:35).
6. Both use the word “disciple” and “disciples” (2:2; 19:26-27).
7. Both involve the miraculous: signs (2:11), prophecy (19:24).
8. Both involve those under authority: servants, headwaiter (2:5,8); soldiers (19:23-24).
9. Both involve “water” (2:7; 19:34).
10. Wine is involved (2:3,9-10; 19:29-30).
11. Wine is the color of blood.
Not stated in John 19, but another connection is purification. The containers were for water to purify ceremonially, and Jesus is our “container” to purify our souls.
Those last three in the above list are the key connections – water and wine or blood.
This is the purpose of this passage – to foreshadow the cross and resurrection. By metaphor, the death is seen in wine and blood. Continuing that analogy, the resurrection is foreshadowed because wine is “alive” with fermentation while water is not. Could that be why we are told the wedding scene takes place on the third day?
The point is this – the wine at the wedding is connected to the death and resurrection of Jesus. John encapsulates these two stories close to the beginning and end of his book. Both show power over creation – turning water into wine and death into life.
So what do we do about drinking? Would Jesus provide for them an opportunity to become inebriated? Getting drunk is a sin.
This is where this connection again is so important. God provided the cross, but the Romans and Jews were guilty of misusing capital punishment. Jesus provided the alcohol, but the guests were responsible for how they used it. Neither murder nor drunkenness are approved by God even if God provided the means for each. In the beginning God provided the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but the first couple were responsible for their actions.
So at best, be responsible. But what is responsible when it comes to drinking alcohol?
In ancient civilizations, they mixed the wine with water. This protected them from drunkenness from alcohol and disease from impure water.
Today, being responsible is not coming under the influence. So how much can one drink and not be influenced? I will freely admit my bias again – I have witnessed people drink who never noticed their own intoxication. They were not drunk legally, but they were influenced by the alcohol.
John 2 is not a homily on the virtues of drinking nor against it. It is foreshadowing the death and resurrection of Jesus. Isn’t the sober-minded approach to use the text according to its purpose?
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