Why do you say that the wine at the marriage feast in Cana was grape juice?
Question:
I read your web site. Why do you tell Christians that the wine at the marriage feast at Cana was grape juice?
Read my book. You don't need to protect the Gospel from its own truth. The wine at the marriage feast at Cana contained alcohol and you cannot make it plain grape juice with your silly con job.
Stop being a spiritual coward. Read my book if you have the spiritual guts!
Answer:
"Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James 4:11-12)
Since cowardice is a sin (Revelation 21:8), I'm surprised that you are willing to charge people you have never met with sins that you do not know exist -- and apparently all to promote your book. Even Michael wouldn't do that with Satan (Jude 9), but that doesn't seem to give you pause.
"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (I Timothy 6:3-6).
Jesus had the servants fetch water to fill six stone water pots. These pots were placed in the feast so that guests could wash their hands before eating (Mark 7:3). They were large pots holding about 20 to 30 gallons apiece. Jesus then told the servants to draw a portion back out of the pots and bring it to the governor of the feast. Notice that Jesus did not physically participate in the process, nor were people aware of what was happening beyond the servants, Mary, and we find later that the disciples became aware of what happened as well.
By Jewish custom, a man was given the job of running the feast. He made sure that food and drink were available and that the Jewish dietary laws were being met. He coordinated who ate when and where as well as scheduling the entertainment. It would be a part of his duties to sample the food being brought out to see that it was fit for the guests.
Because the word “wine” is used in our English translations, many people assume that the drink Jesus provided was alcoholic. However, the Greek word oinos is a generic term that refers to any product derived from grapes. Freshly squeezed grape juice and fermented wine would both fall under the category of oinos. Therefore, the context must determine the meaning of oinos.
A simple reading indicates that Jesus made between 120 and 180 gallons of wine. This is a large quantity of wine, even for a wedding feast in a small town. Nor was the wine made at the start of the feast; they ran out some time into the feast.
Drunkenness was condemned under the Old Testament law (Proverbs 23:21). Jesus did not violate the law, nor did he cause others to violate the law. Therefore, the only conclusion to reach is that the wine created was not an alcoholic drink.
A common objection is to point out that the governor of the feast complemented the groom for the quality of the wine. Normally people bring out the best at the beginning, and after everyone is satisfied, the lesser quality items are brought out. However, note that the alcoholic content is not mentioned. Those citing this assume that a stronger alcoholic content is better. But we know from history that in the days prior to refrigeration, the freshness of a product was more valued. For example, Plutarch, who lived between 46 and 120 A.D. said, "Wine is rendered feeble in strength when it is frequently filtered. The strength or spirit thus being excluded, the wine neither inflames the brain nor infests the mind and passions, and is much more pleasant to drink." Pliny, who lived between 62 and 113 A.D., said, "The most useful wine was all its force or strength broken by the filter." Notice that non-alcoholic beverages were valued more than the alcoholic variety.
