In the Bible, you read about wine being a common drink among the Jews. Wine was enjoyed at feasts, in fellowship with friends, with the Lord’s Supper and even kept inside of the Temple. But, did you know the wine most frequently consumed during Jesus’ time on earth was much different than the wine people drink today?
Charisma magazine sat down with Evangelist Perry Stone who shared his thoughts on the consumption of alcohol today. Describing a common setting while out to dinner with those who do drink wine, he says, “I don’t preach to them, I just tell them I don’t, and when they ask why I go into the history. The wine in Jesus’ day was mixed with water and it would take 27 glasses of wine to equal the alcohol of two martinis,” he says.
“Instead of just trying to attack people, know the Bible. Why do you believe what you believe? The Word of God does what you can’t,” Stone says.
Here are three reasons why wine today is different than in the days of Jesus:
- To keep wine fresh during Bible times, the focus was natural fermentation, not the fermentation often used today which breaks down the sugars into ethyl alcohol.
- There were no additives or chemicals in wine during Jesus’ day, the taste of the wine would have been closer to grape juice.
- Water was added to dilute wine, the practice of two or three parts water and one part wine was common during that time.
Tune in to the rest of the interview with Perry Stone to learn how he witnesses to unbelievers with unconditional love. He shares his transformative journey of loving people where they are, and how that has led to testimonies of miraculous transformation in those we may least expect. {eoa}
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Shelby Bowen is an assistant editor for Charisma Media.
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