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Water Into Alcohol?

Water Into Alcohol? By: Zach Collins Question: In the first miracle that Jesus performed, in John 2, how do we know that Jesus did not turn water into alcoholic wine? Recently, a person submitted this question that I want to address via an article. In the English language, the term โ€œwineโ€ has come to carry the connotation of alcoholic drink, nothing more and nothing less. As a result, for centuries, many have utilized this passage to promote social drinking amongst Christians, by saying, โ€œIf Jesus turned water into wine, it must be permissible to drink wine in a social setting.โ€ But, let me pose you a question of consideration. Is the wine referenced in John 2 fermented or unfermented wine?  The Greek word for โ€œwineโ€, found in the New Testament, is oinos. The word โ€œwineโ€, in the Bible, is more akin to the word โ€œdrinkโ€ in our culture. If I say, โ€œI need a drinkโ€, what kind of drink would I be talking about? Well, to determine the โ€œdrinkโ€ I am referencing, you would first need context of my statement. Such is the case for โ€œwineโ€ in the Bible. Unlike the English language, the word โ€œwineโ€, in the Greek, can either refer to fermented or unfermented drink. To determine its usage, we must examine the context of the passage.  Letโ€™s begin with a little background. In John 2, we find the account of Jesus at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. Amid this traditional celebration, an embarrassment, according to tradition occurs, when the wedding host runs out …