If Jesus drank grape juice why was he called a drunkard?

What did Jesus drink?

The question of whether Jesus drank wine or grape juice is being debated by people who read the same Bible but have different interpretations. Sometimes scripture is what it is and says what it says and needs no interpreting or taking it to the far left or the far right.

The word of God tells us not to be drunk with wine in excess in Ephesians 5:18. The issue seems to be overindulgence rather than drinking. Ecclesiastes 10:19 KJV tells us: 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

Paul told Timothy in his first book in 5:23 Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often. (New International Version).

Drinking wine was common in the Bible

Although wine was common, Noah was the only patriarch listed in scripture who drank too much. This is not to say that others did not but that Noah is the onyl one mentioned. He drank so much that one of his sons found him lying naked.

The issue of what Jesus drank comes from the first gospel writer. In Matthew 11:19, He said the following (KJV)

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

What is a winebibber?

A winebibber was the language used for someone who drank a lot of wine. The enemies of Jesus were watching his every move and, in doing so, noticed that he feasted and drank wine.

Some people interpret thsi scripture as saying that Jesus partied and got drunk. The Bible does not indicate that Christ ever overindulged or was drunk.

The Jewish leaders were trying to find fault with Him in any way that they could. They may have followed Him around during the three years of His earthly ministry as He ate at various venues and noticed that he drank a glass or two of wine at each meal.

Some today say Jesus drank unfermented grape juice. If this were true, He would not have been called a winebibber. Every translation I have read of Matthew 11 says the same thing in different wording.

Don’t add or take away from scripture

The International Standard version says it this way: The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Strong’s Concordance reveals they called Jesus an excessive wine drinker (not grape juice).

In such situations, it’s best to allow scripture to speak for itself. There is np need to sanitize what is written or exaggerate as Jamaal Bryant did when he told his congregation that Jesus turned the water into wine and threw down at the party to permit us to have fun.

Jesus drank wine-He did not get drunk

That’s a stretch of what is written in the Word, the same way that saying the wine he drank was grape juice is. I have even heard that the wine in those days was not as potent as alcohol today. If that were true, there would not be warnings about drinking too much in the Old or New Testament.

We know that excessive drinking can lead to fights, car accidents, and loss of life. From a health standpoint, too much alcohol can cause various diseases that ruin lives and may lead to death.

No one should use the situation with Jesus to support excessive drinking. Neither should they water down what the scripture says. He feasted, and He drank wine as many people do. He had enemies using his every move to try to discredit Him. You have the right to disagree.