Wine – Part 1

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 

In the Bible, the English word “wine” does not always mean an alcoholic, fermented beverage, the way we use the word today. This is because the Hebrew and Greek words translated as “wine” were broader terms, often referring simply to the juice of the grape in any state, fresh, fermenting, or fermented. In both the Old and New Testaments, the phrase “fruit of the vine” (Hebrew: peri hagafen, Greek: genēma tēs ampelou) explicitly refers to grape juice, without specifying whether it was fermented. Jesus used this phrase when He instituted the Lord’s Supper: “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine…” (Matt. 26:29). This was a common Jewish expression for grape juice in any form.

The Old Testament speaks of wine as a blessing, a symbol of joy and abundance. This did not require fermentation; fresh fruit, grape juice, and grapes themselves were all considered part of God’s “wine” harvest blessing.

‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.’ Across history and Scripture, intoxication leads to impaired judgment, moral lapse, and often divine judgment. Proverbs 20:1 uses these examples to warn that the use of alcohol leads to serious consequences. Wine “mocks” its victims: it promises pleasure but leads to foolishness, loss of self-control, and vulnerability. Strong drink produces rage or wild behaviour, turning reason into chaos. Submitting to alcohol’s power is a mark of folly because it impairs judgment, decision-making, and moral restraint. To be continued…