TITLE: "Wine" in the Bible (1 of 2)

TEXT: Proverbs 23:29-35

PROPOSITION: It is important to understand the use of this word before we can make decisions about drinking today.

I. In the Old Testament "wine" appears 196 times

          A. Hebrew words

                    1. Yayin - 141 times

                    2. Tirosh - 38 times

                    3. Shekhar - 1 time "wine, 21 times "strong drink"

          B. "Yayin" -

                    1. "What is pressed out, grape juice" - Strong's

                    2. Used of alcoholic drink             Gen. 9:21

                    3. Used of non-alcoholic    Jer. 48:33  Is. 16:10

          C. "Tirosh" -

                    1. "Properly this is fresh grape juice" - I S B E

                    2. "Must or fresh grape juice as just squeezed out, by implication (rarely) fermented" - Strong's Concordance

                    3. Isaiah 65:8

                    4. Proverbs 3:10

          D. "Shekhar" -

                    1. "Wine" in Numbers 28:7

                    2. "Strong drink" in all other places

II. In the New Testament "wine" appears 29 times

          A. Greek words

                    1. "Oinos" - 28 times

                              a. "wine, grape juice" - Young's Concordance

                              b. "Septuagint for "yayin" and "tirosh" - Thayer's Lexicon

                    2. "Gleukos" -

                              a. From grape without pressure

                              b. Sweet or new wine

                              c. Acts 2:13

III. Wine could be preserved

          A. Boil it down to 1/2 (defurtum) or to 1/3 (sapa) - It became a syrup or molasses.  This would keep as jelly.

          B. Filtered     Is. 25:6

                    1. Pliny "For all the sick the wine is most useful when its forces have been broken by the strainer."

                    2. Jim Waldron "This filtration removed all the solid particles of the wine...and the process of fermentation would be thereby prevented."

                    3. Used this way is I Tim. 5:23

          C. Seal it in jars

                    1. Hide in caves - keep below 50 degrees

                    2. Sink in water - same purpose

Conclusion:

          A. Non-alcoholic - blessed   Prov. 3:10   Is. 65:8

          B. Alcoholic - cursed Prov. 4:17; Prov. 20:1; Hab. 2:15