Can you tell me whether the water that Jesus turned into wine at the marriage feast was fermented and intoxicating, or not? Also whether all the water in the vessels was changed to wine, or only that which was actually used. I have heard that the Greek word for wine means to inflame, and that consequently wherever wine is mentioned it must be intoxicating.
The word "wine," as well as its equivalent in the Greek, is not specific. There are various kinds of wine, but nobody can tell the nature of the article referred to by the unqualified word "wine;" some qualifying word must be connected with it, in order for us to know whether the article referred to is good or bad, fermented or unfermented, unless there is something else in the text that indicates it, as, for instance, the effect that it produces. For, just as a tree is known by its fruit, so wine is known by the consequences of drinking it.
There is good water and bad water--water that is pure, and water that is stale and nauseous. Fresh water is good, but the same water that is good today will be unfit to drink if allowed to stand a few days. It is water, however, even after it has stood till it is teeming with disease germs; and its name, "water," unqualified, does not convey any idea as to its character.
Just so it is with wine. When it is first pressed from the grapes it is pure, refreshing and wholesome; but after it has stood exposed to the air for a season it undergoes fermentation, or decay, and is then poisonous. It is still wine, however, although no longer good wine; and the term "wine," if unqualified, does not tell us anything as to which kind it is.
Wine in the Cluster
That the fresh, pure, unfermented juice of the grape is really wine, is seen from the following portions of Scripture: "As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it; so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all." (Isaiah 65:8)
Here we see that not only the freshly expressed juice of the grape, but even the juice while it is yet in the cluster in the vine, is real wine. Again, in Genesis 40 we read in the dream of Pharaoh's butler: "In my dream, behold a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches; and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand." (Genesis 40:9-11)
Thus we see that not only is the wine found in the cluster of ripe grapes, but it is such wine as in ancient time was thought to be a drink fit for a king; for Pharaoh's butler dreamed of what he had been used to doing.
The Lord Gives Only Good Things
Now as to the wine that Jesus made for the guests at the marriage feast in Cana. It is true that the word has no qualifying adjective in the narrative of that event; but the circumstances unmistakably indicate its character.
In the first place, let us remember that only good things come from the hand of the Lord. He sends blessing, not a curse; and we have just read that the blessing is in the wine that is found in the cluster. On the other hand, we are told that they who drink the wine "when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright," (Proverbs 23:31) that is, when it is fermented, have woe, sorrow, contentions, and wounds without cause, and that such wine at the last, "bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder." (Proverbs 23:32)
It takes away a man's senses, so that he is like one "that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of the mast." (Proverbs 23:34)
Can anybody charge the Lord with preparing such a drink for men? Who that reverences the Saviour can for a moment entertain the thought that He would deliberately manufacture, and order to be given to the guests at a marriage feast, such wine as would tend to take away their senses, inflame all their passions, and set them in an uproar, and possibly cause them to fight?
Fermented Wine Not a Natural Product
Still further: If it were true that on this occasion Jesus made fermented wine, it would furnish a most unnatural exception to God's work; for never in nature has such a thing as fermented wine been known. On the contrary, God takes the utmost pains to prevent the wine that He makes from fermenting. Let us study the case for as moment.
Examine a cluster of grapes. See how firm the skin is upon each grape, and how closely it is fastened to the stem. The skin of the grape, like that of other fruits, is its protection against decay or fermentation. As long as the skin remains unbroken, fermentation cannot possibly take place. Each grape is, in fact, a small bottle of unfermented wine, hermetically sealed so as to preserve it from fermentation.
While the grapes are in that condition they are good to eat-delicious and wholesome. But let us take another cluster. On this one there are some grapes that have been braised, so that the skin is broken, and some have been half-way pulled off the stem. What is their condition? They have begun to decay; a little mould is seen in each wounded grape, and no one would eat them, not even the drinker of fermented wine, unless he had already drank so much of it as to lose his wits. Yet that which has begun on those wounded grapes is exactly what must take place in the expressed juice, in order that it may become fermented wine.
You say the grapes that have been broken are rotten. So they are, or at least they are beginning to rot, and nobody likes to eat rotten grapes; yet the very same people who reject the decayed grapes, will eagerly drink the grape juice when it has rotted still more. How inconsistent! If the grape is unhealthful when it is diseased because of a wound, how can it be healthful when the disease has progressed so far that it has produced death? The fresh juice is life-producing; the fermented juice produces death.
"Old Wine" That Is Better
Can you not now see clearly that the first state of wine, as the Lord makes it, is always unfermented? And not only so, but that unless man interferes, and changes the Lord's plan for the grape, the wine will always remain unfermented? God never makes fermented wine; that is always a product of the curse. Wine must stand some little time exposed to the air, before it becomes fermented wine.
Now we have the question answered as to the kind of wine that Jesus prepared for the wedding guests. Just as the sun ripens the sap that is stored up in the cluster, so Christ, the Light of the world, the Sun of righteousness, made the same change in the water that was in the waterpots; and it would be as forced and absurd to suppose that it was fermented, as to expect to find fermented wine in the grape cluster.
The wine was drawn out and at once carried to the governor of the feast. If any of it was left over, and allowed to stand exposed to the air for a time, it would undoubtedly ferment, just the same as any other wine that the Lord makes.
As to how much of the water became wine, we have no means of knowing. It is usually taken for granted that all the water in the six water pots was changed to wine. Whether it was or not, makes no practical difference. Only this thing is evident: that if the water became wine only as it was drawn out, we have the case for unfermented wine emphasized.
But whichever way it was, there certainly was no time for the wine to ferment before it was carried to the table; and it must be remembered that time is an essential element in the production of fermented wine. God makes wine--good wine; man allows and assists it to decay, and become a curse. Be sure that Jesus did not go out of His way to make an unnatural product.
Such wine as Jesus made on that wedding day in Cana is good enough to be drunk in heaven, and will be furnished to all the guests at "the marriage supper of the Lamb." (Revelation 19:9)
When Jesus passed the cup to His disciples on the night of the Passover,--a time when no leaven or ferment could be found in any Jewish house,--He said, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:29)
I hardly think there is anybody so irreverent as to suggest that the wine ("the fruit of the vine," mark you) on that occasion will be such as could by any possibility produce intoxication, that is, poisoning.--Present Truth, July 18, 1901--Reprinted: Advent Review, December 24, 1901.
To Keep Wine from Fermenting
Just after writing the article in the "Private Corner," on unfermented wine, we noticed the following note in the Church Family Newspaper: Your correspondent asserts that the Jews at the Feast of the Passover invariably use unfermented wine. If he could give all the particulars of the method by which the Jews prevent the fermentation of grape juice, it would be very interesting. It is described as "quite sweet," which suggests that the juice has been "preserved" in some manner. Grape juice, unless treated in some such manner, naturally ferments. Unfermented grape juice is called "must," not wine.
It is true that the unfermented juice of the grape is called "must," but it is not true that it is not called wine. It is called wine in the Bible, as our article in this paper shows, and it is the only perfect wine. But the question is, how to keep it so, and as there are no doubt many who think that it is a difficult matter, if not impossible, we will tell how it is done. It is very simple.
a) Select good grapes, and press them just enough to break the skins, but not to crush them. This can be done by spreading them out on a wooden tray, and passing a roller over them, which is kept from pressing on them too heavily, by the low sides of the tray.
b) Take the grapes so broken, and put them over the fire in a saucepan, until they become merely heated through, but not until they boil. This is only in order that the juice can be pressed out more freely.
c) Put the heated grape-pulp in a thin cloth bag, and press out all the juice, either with the hands, or by a press.
d) Place the juice on the stove again, heat it just to the boiling point, but do not let it boil.
e) Then while hot pour it as quickly as possible into the bottles that have previously been thoroughly cleaned and sterilized in hot water. Fill the bottles full, so that there will be no air space below the cover, and seal them so tightly that no air can get in.
The result, if care has been taken, will be wine that will keep pure and unfermented for years. This is from personal experience.
It will be seen that nothing whatever is added to the juice. Most unfermented wine that is sold for communion wine, has some acid added to it to preserve it. This should not be done. Nothing should be put into it. Do not put even sugar in.
The grapes have all the sugar that is needed. The grape juice does not need sugar, any more than raisins do. The natural wine properly made from good grapes is so sweet that most people will want to dilute it with water when they drink it.
Such wine as this may be drunk as freely as the state of one's finances will allow, for nothing in the world is more wholesome. And no other wine should ever be used at communion.
It is in order that this sacred service may not be profaned by the use of wine that is intoxicating, that we devote the space to the subject that we have. It is very certain that if Christ were present at a communion table which had fermented wine, He would not take the cup and say, "This is my blood." Let us be careful never to bear false witness in this matter.--Present Truth, July 18, 1901.