Marbaniang, Domenic

In 1Timothy 5:23, Paul exhorts Timothy: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. (1Ti 5:23) This verse, at first glance, seems to be a deviation from the main context of the passage. In verses above and verses below, Paul is actually talking about rebuking those who sin, in keeping oneself pure, and not laying hands on someone very quickly (as if to condemn, perhaps as the context suggests). The passage is: Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.  Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.  I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.  Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmiti...

There are at least two ways in which we can attempt to answer this question: 1. Historical Approach . Try to understand the wedding customs during Jesus' times and see if people in His times gave fermented wine at weddings. But, a general practice doesn't need to be a necessary practice in every instance. For instance, just because a few instances tell us that Christians play also secular music during weddings doesn't prove that they do so in every wedding. Also, every Christian wedding on the same day in the same town may not include non-vegetarian food in dinner. 2. Theological Approach . The logical method in theology would certainly conclude that Jesus could not have made fermented drink to help people get drunk in abundance. That would be a miracle that facilitated drunkenness. Certainly, He made pure unfermented grape juice. Grape juice continues to be served today in hotter regions.  Some Observations by Jim McGuiggan Source: Wine: Fermented and Unfermented (Access...