I’ve already argued extensively that the Bible condones the moderate use of alcohol. In my recent review of Kenneth Gentry’s God Gave Wine, there was a bit of a debate in the comments. I had loaned out my copy of Gentry’s book, and recently got it back, and so I wanted to advance a few more arguments. So I thought I’d share them here.

I’m going to treat the two main lines of reasoning separately. This post will focus on the two-wine theory.

A common way to harmonize the seemingly contradictory Biblical statements concerning wine, is to employ the two wine theory. This is the idea that there are two kinds of wine, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Wherever the Bible commends wine, it refers to the latter, and wherever it forbids or warns against it, the former sense is in view. Now it should be quite apparent from the start that this approach employs circular reasoning and begs the question.

Lexical Consensus

Against this view is the nearly unanimous testimony of the lexicons, dictionaries, encyclopedias and historians that the terms for wine (yayin in Hebrew, and oinos in Greek) refer to a clearly alcoholic substance. Gentry qutoes a couple lexicons and the TWOT as unequivocally stating that yayin is alcoholic. Strong’s Concordance Dictionary notes: “yayin; from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication intoxication; — banqueting, wine, wine (-bibber).” Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament (edited by Merril Unger and William White Jr., and part of Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary states: “Yayin… is the usual Hebrew word for fermented grape…. [It] clearly represents an intoxicating beverage.” The article for “wine” in the revised ISBE (edited by Geoffrey Bromiley) states “Both yayin and tirosh are fermented grape juice with alcoholic content; hence both are able to cause intoxication (cf. Hos. 4:11) and are to be distinguished from ‘must’ or unfermented grape juice.”

Gentry alludes to a quote by Merrill Unger. From Unger’s Dictionary, I’d like to share a couple quotes.

In most of the passages in the Bible where yayin is used (83 out of 138), it certainly means fermented grape juice; and in the remainder it may fairly be presumed to do so…. The intoxicating quality of yayin, is confirmed by rabbinical testimony…. although usually intoxicating, it was not only permitted to be imbibed, but was also used for sacred purposes and was spoken of as a blessing (Gen. 49:11-12; Deut. 14:24-26; Ex. 29:40; Lev. 23:13; Num. 15:5). Some, indeed, have argued from these passages that yayin could not always have been alcoholic. But this is begging the question and that in defiance of the facts. Although invariably fermented, it was not always inebriating, and in most instances, doubtless, was but slightly alcoholic, like the vin ordinaire of France. (The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, by Merrill Unger, edited by R.K. Harrison, Moody Press, 1988 )[note: vin ordinaire is ordinary table wine as opposed to fortified wine with an even higher alcoholic content.]

Gentry quotes several prohibitionist writers admitting the lexical consensus as a problem for their position. Robert Teachout is representative: “Unfortunately Bible scholars have been equally misled by public opinion”. Gentry points out the obvious: “But when you search out all the scholars and find them unanimously differing with your opinion, who is really mistaken?” (Gentry, 35)

Origins of the Two-Wine Theory

Gentry provides a quote on the origins of the two-wine theory, from a Christian encyclopedic entry in 1887.

In fact, the theory of two kinds of wine — the one fermented and intoxicating and unlawful, and the other unfermented, unintoxicating, and lawful — is a modern hypothesis, devised during the present century, and has no foundation in the Bible, or in Hebrew or classical antiquity. (“Wine” by Dunlop Moore, A Religious Encyclopedia of Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal and Practical Theology, edited by Philip Schaff [Chicago: Funk and Wagnalls, 1887] — quoted by Gentry, pg. 44).

The facts indicate this idea is new, and dates back to the prohibition era. This alone should say something to the biased nature of this idea.

Isaiah 16:10 an Attempt at Biblical Support

In an attempt to find Biblical support, some prohibitionists point to Isaiah 16:10 as an example of yayin being used to refer to clearly non-alcoholic wine. In this passage, and a couple similar ones, yayin is described as being treaded out in the presses.

Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased. And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field, and in the vineyards no songs are sung, no cheers are raised; no treader treads out wine in the presses; I have put an end to the shouting. (Is. 16:9-10)

Since the product of treading out wine is must, or grape pulp, ultimately squeezed to grape juice, yayin must refer to non-intoxicating juice as well as to the later fully fermented kind. At least that is how the argument runs. On the basis of basically this passage alone, prohibitionist writer and scholar Stephen Reynolds claims: “This is enough to establish the fact that yayin in the Bible need not be alcoholic.” (Gentry, 42).

Before in the comments of my review post, I mentioned an argument by Gentry regarding the poetic nature of Is. 16. Here I’d like to provide some extended quotes from Gentry’s book God Gave Wine:

The poetic license so common in Hebrew poetry will allow the freshly expressed yayin here to be alcoholic, just as it may speak of wine itself as being a “brawler” (rather than the one who actually drinks the wine, Prov. 20:1). A common literary device is prolepsis. Prolepsis is the anachronistic representing of something as existing before its proper or historical time. Prolepsis looks to the end result anticipated in the proleptic observation. The Scripture is filled with examples of prolepsis, several of which directly parallel Isaiah 16:10. For instance, in Judges 9:13 “wine” (Heb. tirosh, a liquid drink processed from grapes) is spoken of as on the “vine,” just as figs exist on the tree (Judg. 9:10-12). But, of course, grapes appear as a solid fruit on the vine — though tirosh is the ultimate liquid drink produced from the grapes. In Isaiah 65:8 we find “new wine” (Heb. tirosh) “in the cluster.” Jeremiah 40:10 speaks of “gathering in wine” (Heb. tirosh) as if the liquid drink itself were in the field on the vine. The Old Testament has a word for grapes, as literal fruit on the vine: enab (Gen. 40:10-11; Lev. 25:5; Num. 6:3-4). Rather than use enab, however, the Old Testament writers chose the poetic, figurative use of the word tirosh in these passages…. And just as biblical writers can say that tirosh (a liquid product) is found in “cluster” (the solid fruit, Is. 65:8), so can they declare that yayin (fermented wine) is “treaded out” from grapes (Is. 16:10). Obviously, tirosh is in the cluster in that it is the product to be derived from the grape.

Gentry also notes how Stephen Reynolds allows for such poetic use in other passages in his book, but does not allow for it in Isaiah 16. Clearly in a poetic context as this section of Isaiah (Isaiah is filled with poetry), we could expect such a poetic allusion. Coupled with the clearly alcoholic nature of yayin elsewhere in Scripture and attested to by the lexicons, we should understand Isaiah 16:10 to be using this poetic allusion.

Wine and Joy

But besides the possibility of prolepsis, there are other indications that argue for this understanding. The passage clearly focuses on wine and vineyards, and it also stresses joy. In Scripture there is a link between the finished product of yayin — wine, and joy. Consider the following passages regarding wine’s joy-giving qualities. Again in the context of the harvest, the ultimate product of wine, and its joy would be in view.

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. (Ps. 104:14-15)

Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. (Eccl. 10:19)

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. (Eccl. 9:7)

But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ (Judges 9:13)

Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” (2 Samuel 13:28 )

And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. (1 Sam. 25:36)

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, (Esther 1:10)

The LORD of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. (Zechariah 9:15)

Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD. (Zechariah 10:7)

This is just a few texts on wine bringing joy. You can see a fuller post covering this topic here. No other beverage is singled out as one which produces joy. And the very nature of alcoholic wine clearly is such that we can understand what is being talked of here. Wine, well before it makes one drunk, is very pleasurable and lifts your spirits, giving one joy. Feasting and wine are interconnected. In Biblical Hebrew the very word for “feasting” literally means “drinking”. ISBE’s article on wine states “a “˜feast’ is literally a “˜drinking’ (Heb. misthe, Gen. 21:8; Jdg. 14:10; 1 S. 25:36; 2 S. 3:20)”.

In case anyone doubts that the alcoholic warming of the spirits is in view with the idea of wine gladdening the heart, look again at the last five passages. They clearly link this joy with alcoholic properties. Yet this spirit-gladdening effect, is something God has given as a gift to be enjoyed.

So once again, back to the passage at hand, the gladdening nature of wine (which we’ve shown Scripturally as referring to alcoholic properties of the fermented wine) is emphasized in the passage. That joy is going to be removed. And one last connection is Zechariah 9’s mention of a shouting associated with drunkenness, and the shouting mentioned in Isaiah 16. The shouting will stop. Drunkenness was a fact of what happened with that drink. Scripture warns against drunkenness, but it often speaks knowingly or comparatively of how a drunken person acts.

So with all of this evidence, there is a strong likelihood that Isaiah 16:10 is not teaching us that there is an exception to the normal rule that yayin refers to alcoholic wine. Rather it is referring to the wine that Scripture everywhere else indicates is alcoholic.

Three Final Points

There are three final points which sound the death knell for the two-wine theory.

First, there are a few passages which speak clearly of alcoholic wine in one verse, and a few verses later wine is referred to in a positive light. Nothing indicates we should assume that the wine was different in the case of the alcoholic variety and the variety which is praised. In 1 Sam. 1:14, Eli tells Hannah to “put your wine away from [her]”. But in vs. 24, Hannah brings wine with her on her trip back to Shiloh. Nothing indicates that the wine Hannah brought would be different than the wine Eli thought she was drinking earlier. In 1 Sam. 25:18, Abigail serves wine for David and his men, then later in verses 36-37 Nabal is drunk with wine. Nothing in the context would lead us to think the drink David and his men received was different from that which made Nabal drunk. The difference of course is Nabal immoderately drank the wine, whereas David and his men didn’t. Joel 1:5, 10 is another similar passage.

Second, Scripture clearly praises alcoholic wine. Isaiah 25:6 is definitely referring to alcoholic wine when it indicates that such wine will characterize the blessings of Christ’s future kingdom: “And in this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees. (NKJV) “. “Wines on the lees” is translated in most modern versions as “well-aged wine”.

Third, Nehemiah when describing what supplies were given to him as Judean governor, mentions all kinds of wines. Nothing indicates that he did not partake of them. And the context is one of approval, as he is writing inspired Scripture. Here is the passage: “Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.” (Neh. 5:18 ) So if there is two kinds of wine, this passage indicates Nehemiah partook of both.

This really does seal the deal with regards to the two-wine theory. It doesn’t stand the test of history, it doesn’t line up with the lexical consensus, and more importantly, it doesn’t jive with Scripture.