SkepticBoyLee

Im getting the excuse that the water was so rank that wine was the default drink to have with meals. They DID have wells and springs did they not? Also obviously there are drunks in the Bible. Noah got drunk and some guy saw his naked ass prompting a curse by God to his son Ham and his sons ancestors.

So I was wondering what was the deal with wine in ancient times?

yummyfur

Most Greeks and Romans drank their wine with water, and considered anyone who drank straight wine as uncooth. My guess is the wine was one way of making water taste better, and also helped to disinfect the water(though they were not neccasarily aware of this, they might have noticed people who drank their water with wine, were less likely to get sick).

Steven Avery

Just to be clear, the modern Christian view is not monolithic.

Possibly the strongest no-wine scholarship book is :http://www2.andrews.edu/~samuele/boo..._in_the_bible/
Wine in the Bible: A Biblical Study on the Use of Alcoholic Beverages
- Samuele Bacchiocchi

However you will find many who consider moderate use of wine as fine.
Not sure if there is a good web article disagreeing with Samuele, it did come up on my home forum a few months ago.

Shalom,
Praxeus
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messianic_Apologetic/

Toto

Holding summarizes the case for wine in the Bible and disagrees with Bacchiocchi here, although of course he has to say that circumstances have changed and it's best to avoid poisoning your body which is a Temple, etc.

croissant101

I remember reading somewhere that wine was the safest beverage at those times. The alchohol sterilizes the wine.

Anat

Generally the HB has a positive opinion of wine consumption as long as it isn't overdone to the point of losing one's judgement. Yes, Noah and Lott are cases of overindulgence, but OTOH, see Jacob's blessing to Judah in Genesis 49:11-12
"Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washeth his garments in wine, and his vesture in the blood of grapes; His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk."

meforevidence

In Deuteronomy 14:23-26 we read:
23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,

Even if wine is not "fermented" the "strong drink" certainly was. Furthermore, we see in places like Genesis 9:21 - "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent" that it was always capable of being abused and people actually got drunk when they drank too much, so it was not always weakened by water to the extent someone could not get drunk.

Of course the Bible always gives negative conotations about being drunk, and in many cases drinking "wine" but not always. It was approved by God for the special feasts and the people were told to buy whatever their heart desired which included "wine" and "strong drink."

andrewcriddle

In the ancient world water on its own was definitely unhealthy.

Some cultures drank alcoholic beverages mixed with water as safer than water on its own.

Some cultures drank water as a hot infusion (tea coffee etc) as a healthier alternative to water taken neat.

Andrew Criiddle