DRUNKENNESS IN THE BIBLE

If you look at the many references to alcohol (almost exclusively wine) in the Bible, it is interesting to note that those passages which treat it positively as a gift from God are at least as great in number as those passages that warn of the dangers of drink. Thus, it is very clear that total abstinence from liquor is not commanded in Judaism or Christianity as it is in Islam. Fitzsimmonds notes, “These two aspects of wine, its use and its abuse, its benefits and its curse; its acceptance in God's sight and its abhorrence, are interwoven into the fabric of the Old Testament...”

The examples of abstinence in the Bible are confined to three types. The first is in the case of a temporary vow during which a person refrained from alcoholic beverages for a designated time period. One example would be that of Daniel (see 1:8). The fact that this was only a temporary vow is seen in Dan. 10:2-3 where he is again making a similar vow. Then there are those who are chosen as nazirites from their birth and vow to never drink alcoholic beverages or cut their hair. Samson was one such example although he only kept part of his vow. John the Baptist provides a more positive example (Luke 1:15).

Lastly, there are the Rechabites (see Jeremiah 35). They were a nomadic tribe who had vowed not to drink alcohol. As some commentators note, since they were nomadic they had no ready access to wine, which was only produced in settled towns and cities. So, in fact, they were “making a virtue of necessity.” In a similar manner, it has been suggested that some Christian denominations arising in the poorer areas of 1800's America could not afford to have a piano or organ, unlike the wealthier Episcopalians, etc. Therefore they denounced the use of musical instruments in church as being unbiblical.

Before discussing the negative teachings and examples concerning alcohol, a note concerning nomenclature is in order. The biblical words for wine found in the OT and NT are as follows:

“wine”                                  Heb. yayin     Gk. oinos

This would have been drunk as is, or more often diluted with water.

“strong drink”                      Heb. sekar     Gk. sikera

Also called “choice wine,” this was presumably stronger than regular wine.

“sweet, or new, wine”        Heb. tiros        Gk. gleukos

This was “made from the first drippings of the juice before the winepress was trodden. As such it would be particularly potent.” (Fitzsimmonds)

In terms of actual teachings on the subject, the following passages can be included in those which treat alcohol in a negative manner:

    Deuteronomy 21:20     Disobedient sons who are gluttons and drunkards are to be stoned.

    Proverbs 20:1      One is not wise who is led astray by it.

    Proverbs 21:17     You will not get rich by loving wine.

    Proverbs 23:20-21     Joining in with drinkers will lead to poverty.

    Proverbs 23:29-35     Alcoholics will suffer hallucinations and be subject to injury.

    Proverbs 31:4-5     Drinking by those in responsible positions will lead to irresponsible decisions.

    Ecclesiastes 10:17     The author cautions that rulers should drink for strength, not drunkenness.

    Isaiah 5:11-12     Those who think only about wine will not think about God.

    Isaiah 5:22      Rulers who drink too much may also be guilty of taking bribes.

    Isaiah 28:1,7-8     Drunkards let wine overcome them – they stagger and are in confusion.

    Isaiah 56:12      Those who are addicted to wine think no further ahead than their next drink.

    Hosea 4:11      Drinking takes away understanding.

    Hosea 7:5      This is a difficult verse, but Stuart explains it as follows: “Fueled by alcohol, the brain can better suppress conscience and entertain wickedness, depravity, and conspiring with scoffers.”

    Micah 2:11      Extolling the virtues of wine is equivalent to uttering falsehoods.

    Luke 7:33-34      This verse illustrates the fact that one can be equally criticized by others whether you decide to abstain from alcohol (as John the Baptist) or even to drink responsibly (as Jesus). Remember also that the apostles on the Day of Pentacost were accused of being drunk. And in the OT, we have the example of Hannah. I Samuel 1 begins with her praying for a child at the altar. Ironically, as she is vowing that any child born to her will be a nazirite who will refrain from any alcohol, the priest Eli bawls her out for being drunk. This is a good example of the fact that where alcohol is concerned, you may be damned if you do and damned if you don't, at least in the eyes of others. Paradoxically, we learn in the following chapter that Eli's own sons, who are also serving as priests, are total scoundrels who treat their duties with utter contempt, but he only half-heartedly chastises them.

    Luke 12:45; 21:34     Jesus tells these parables and then warns the people not to get drunk and be caught unawares when judgment comes.

    Romans 13:13      Reveling in drunkenness is the opposite of living honorably.

    Romans 14:21     This verse is often used to teach total abstinence from alcohol since it might cause a Christian brother to fall. However, as Friesen explains in some detail, there is a large difference between trying to behave in such a way that Christian “Pharisees” will not be offended and acting so that you will not lead new or weak believers astray. Paul states in Colossians 2:16 that we are not to let anyone condemn us in matters of drink.

    I Corinthians 5:    Paul warns believers not to associate with those in the church who are greedy, idolaters, drunkards or robbers.

    I Corinthians 6:9-10     None of the above people will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

    Ephesians 5:18     Getting drunk is debauchery and the opposite of being filled with the Spirit.

    I Thessalonians 5     In the context of Christ's second coming, Paul contrasts keeping sober with getting drunk. This echoes Jesus' parables on the subject in Luke's Gospel as well as the below-cited OT examples of military leaders being taken unawares by the enemy while drunk.

    I Timothy 3:8     Christian leaders indulging in drink are in the same category as those who are greedy for money.

    Titus 2:3      Women leaders in the church should also not be led astray by addiction to alcohol.

    I Peter 4:3      Drunkenness is one of the hallmarks of a non-believer.

    Revelation 17:2     Wine is used as a metaphor for fornication, which in itself may be a metaphor for idolatry.

    Revelation 18:3     This is a parallel verse to 17:2 but adds the element of growing rich from others.

Moving next to specific examples of drunkenness in the Bible, I was surprised at how few there actually are:

    Genesis 9:20-22: It is instructive that the inventor of wine is also the first recorded person to get so drunk on it that he passes out. In that state, his son Ham “uncovers his nakedness,” an obscure phrase that may indicate even more serious sexual abuse. If the latter is true, then Noah becomes the first person to suffer from a sort of “date rape,” more usually associated with heterosexual activity.

    Genesis 19:30-38: Whether or not the above example concerns any sort of sexual activity, the sordid story of Lot and his daughters certainly does. Lot is so incapacitated with wine that his daughters are able to take sexual advantage of him.

    Ruth 3: At this point I really should mention by way of contrast the incident between Boaz and Ruth on the threshing floor at night. It is well known that this part of the story is really fraught with sexual tension. Boaz is not drunk, but he has had his fill of wine and is “contented.” Ruth crawls in next to him as he is sleeping and basically offers herself to him. Fortunately, Boaz remains an honorable man despite the temptation to be otherwise, and the story has a happy ending.

    I Samuel 25: The wealthy landowner Nabal in this story is obviously either addicted to alcohol or an example of a binge drinker. So he is probably under the influence when he becomes unnecessarily belligerent to David. The association of alcohol with anger is only too well known to abused wives and to bars which keep a bouncer on hand. Nabal's subsequent death from a probable stroke can also be directly attributable to alcoholism.

    I Samuel 30:16-20: This is a story that is repeated several times in the OT. An army (Amelekites in this case) and/or its leaders lets down its guard against the enemy and gets drunk. Therefore they are easily conquered.

    I Kings 16:8-10: Similarly, King Asa is assassinated by his servant while drinking himself into oblivion.

    I Kings 20:13-21: The same thing happens to Ben-Hadad when he and his aligned kings get drunk and omit to take proper precautions against King Ahab's men.

    Daniel 5: For a fourth example of rulers letting their guard down we have Belshazzar, who overindulges with his men, shows off the drinking vessels taken from the Jews, and toasts to his gods. He quickly sobers up, however, when God's handwriting on the wall is seen and the Persians take over his kingdom.

    I Corinthians 11:21: Turning to the NT, there is only one actual example of drunkenness that I could find, and that is the case of the Corinthian church. Paul chastises the richer members of the congregation for their behavior at the “pot luck dinners” that the church holds. Rather than share their rich food, they hog it for themselves and actually drink so much that they get drunk while others are going without entirely.