Wine

Concept

Wine (Hebrew yayin, the most common term; also tirosh, new wine; Greek oinos) was a staple beverage and a significant feature of both daily life and religious observance in biblical times. Its production was part of the agricultural cycle blessed by God: "corn, wine, and oil" appear as the triad of divine provision throughout the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 7:13; Hosea 2:8). Wine was used in the Levitical offerings (Numbers 15:5–10), and Jesus's first miracle was turning water into wine at Cana (John 2:1–11). Paul instructs Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach (1 Timothy 5:23). At the same time, Scripture consistently warns against drunkenness: Noah's drunkenness led to dishonour (Genesis 9:21), Lot's daughters used wine to deceive him (Genesis 19:32–35), and Proverbs 20:1 declares "Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging." The Nazirite vow required abstinence from wine. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper using the cup of wine as the symbol of his blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:27–29; 1 Corinthians 11:25–26).