Difficult Bible Passages

1
Difficult Bible Passages

• Jesus turned water into wine (John 21-11)
• Difficult passages sometimes used to cover sinful
  practices (2 Pet. 316) twist the
  scriptures
• All agree Jesus turned water into wine
• What does Bible say about wine?

2
Accurate Definition of Wine

• Wine is a Generic word (covering all stages of
  the juice of the grape)
• Like groceries (all kinds)
• Like cars (all kinds)
• Wine is either alcoholic or non-alcoholic
  (only 2 choices)
• Which did Jesus produce?

3
Wine Can Be Either Meaning

• Oinos is the general word for wine (Vine, p.
  219)
• Oinos (NT) translates 3 Hebrew words (Thayer)
• yayin, tiyrosh, hemer
• Isa. 658 grape in cluster (tiyrosh)
• Mt. 917 New wine into fermented
• Oinos includes alcohol-free wine

4
Wine Can Be Either Meaning

• Josephus, a first-century writer, used the Greek
  word "wine" to refer to the fresh juice taken
  from the grapes, a non-intoxicating
  drink.Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book
  II, Chapter V, paragraph 2, tells "What Things
  Befell Joseph in Prison." Josephus says
  concerning the king's cupbearer, "He therefore
  said that in his sleep in saw three clusters of
  grapes hanging upon three branches of a vine,
  large already, and ripe for gathering and that
  he squeezed them into a cup which the king held
  in his hand and when he had strained the wine,
  he gave it to the king to drink, and that he
  received it from him with a pleasant
  countenance."

5
Assumption Often Made

• Wine only means alcoholic
• If so, need to be consistent
• Jesus created alcoholic drink
• Gave to all to drink in social area
• Nothing wrong with it at all
• We can brew it, consume it, have guests drink
  (if not-why not?)

6
Context Determines Meaning

• New Birth Jn. 35 Rom. 61-7
• Let Bible determine context
• Is there anything about character and teaching of
  Jesus that would suggest incongruity of drinking
  alcohol? Accurately portray Jesus?
• What is the context of Jesus/wine?

7
Establish Context

• Jesus and Holy Spirit Jn. 1426 1613
• 2 Tim. 316-17 All scripture inspired
• Prov. 201 2329-35 HS in OT
• Jesus greater than Solomon Mt 1242
• Would Jesus contradict HS?
• Is His wisdom less than Solomons?

8
Context of Jesus, Wine

• Jesus and Holy Spirit Jn. 1426 1613
• 2 Tim. 316-17 All scripture inspired
• Hab. 215 HS in OT shame on his glory
• Did Jesus act to bring shame on his glory?

9
Context of Jesus, Wine

• Jesus and His character
• Heb. 415 Jesus was without sin
• Is alcohol consumption without sin? Even without
  Bible.
• 1 Thes 522 abstain from every form of evil
• Is alcohol industry without sin?

10
But what about.?

• 1 Tim. 33, 8 Elders, deacons, wine?
• Does not given to much wine allow some use?
• Compare 2 Pet 214 Does eyes full of adultery
  allow some use?
• given to wine wine-bibbing
• An elder is not to be guilty of this

11
But what about.?

• The Lords Supper
• Wine never used with LS
• Fruit of the Vine Mt. 2629
• Passover Feast Wine was used Mt. 2617
  unleavened bread
• All yeast removed - yeast is fermenting factor -
  not allowed

12
But what about.?

• Medicinal purposes?
• 1 Tim. 523 a little wine
• No objection is this context
• Bad water
• Weak wine, not distilled liquor
• Excuse or medical reason?

13
Is It Fair?

• Solomon Do not look on the wine when it is red,
  when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls
  smoothly at the last it bites like a serpent and
  stings like a viper
• Jesus turned water into best wine (Its OK to
  drink alcohol)
• Is scripture being twisted?