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Bible Wines: Or, The Laws of Fermentation and Wines of the Ancients
This is a reproduction of a classic text optimised for kindle devices. We have endeavoured to create this version as close to the original artefact as possible. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we believe they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
- GenresTheology
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 4, 2025
4 stars. When I read this I already had my own beliefs about alcohol and the wine of the Bible; I mostly wanted to see what arguments they'd address and what they'd say. It's a very technical read, written in the late 1800s, so very interesting in the context of books like Isabella Alden's
Three People.
It was well written and addressed arguments well; it does contain several mentions I didn't agree with, but overall it is a good read.
Read
August 15, 2024Review given at https://open.substack.com/pub/deverbo...
August 19, 2014
This ancient, little book is an excellent source that properly addresses the use of the word wine in the Bible. It also takes a very scientific approach to fermentation in the beginning before addressing the rest of the topic.
July 21, 2010
Amazingly thorough. Patton digs deep into Scripture and history. The definitive book on wine in Scripture.
September 24, 2025
Most theologically sound Christians would disagree with the main points of this book. While they may have some good arguments on their side, in my experience they do not truly engage with this book’s arguments and biblical application. The authors make their key points very thoroughly using biblical, linguistic, logical, and historical analysis. Here are some of the key, well-argued points of this book:
●Whenever the Bible clearly speaks of intoxicating drinks, it gives grave warnings against their use. In many cases, their effects are used as an emblem of God's wrath—certainly not an endorsement of their use!
●There are many passages in the Bible that speak of blessings associated with “wine,” but the book argues that it would be illogical to think that this is an alcoholic beverage, given the first bullet point.
●The book also very carefully argues (from language analysis and cultural history) that the word or words used for wine refer to “must,” a sweet, highly valued product of grapes (or other fruit) that has not undergone fermentation.
●A general principle of hermeneutics, very widely agreed on and employed by scholars, is that unclear or less clear passages must be interpreted in the light of (i.e., their meaning must be consistent with) clearer passages.
Personally, I find the arguments to be well presented and rather compelling. I don't know enough related to the linguistic and historical analysis to dispute the notion that “wine” in the Bible is non-alcoholic, but the book's arguments make sense. An opponent might say that “wine” must be alcoholic because merely picking grapes and allowing them to sit causes fermentation; this is simply not true. Fermentation only occurs at a particular temperature range and when an agent such as yeast is added. The fermenting juice must be kept airtight or nearly so to prevent excessive loss of carbon dioxide. Even with all conditions fulfilled, the process requires adjustments over time. Without all of these factors in place, either fermentation will not occur and/or other chemical processes will occur that do not result in alcoholic wine. The opponent might contend that the ancients knew enough of this information to create the conditions for the desired result, but this is precisely the book's point: A nonzero effort must be employed to ensure that fermentation occurs, even if the individual steps are relatively easy once discovered.
The only biblical notion that keeps me from agreeing fully with the book's overall conclusion—that drinking alcoholic beverages is definitively proscribed by Scripture—is expressed in Matthew 15:11, in which Jesus said, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The point is that the substances that we eat and drink cannot be inherently sinful, so the act of eating or drinking them cannot, in itself, constitute sin; this misses the deeper source of sin, the heart.
However, the Bible commands us to learn and apply wisdom. In every case where alcoholic beverages are clearly in view, the Bible strongly states that their use is unwise. Thus, while I won't declare that merely consuming something is innately sinful, it's difficult for me to justify putting an intoxicating substance into my body. The facts of chemistry are clear: Even tiny amounts of alcohol almost instantly cause decreases in inhibition, judgment, self-control, awareness, physical capability, and so forth; also, the body treats alcohol as a harmful substance, metabolizing it 100% and using none of it for nutrition or any purpose beneficial to health.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished” may be a few years off. My edition has no ISBN and is called simply (and rather awkwardly) Bible Wines Laws of Fermentation. I couldn’t find its cover image among any of the editions listed on Goodreads.
●Whenever the Bible clearly speaks of intoxicating drinks, it gives grave warnings against their use. In many cases, their effects are used as an emblem of God's wrath—certainly not an endorsement of their use!
●There are many passages in the Bible that speak of blessings associated with “wine,” but the book argues that it would be illogical to think that this is an alcoholic beverage, given the first bullet point.
●The book also very carefully argues (from language analysis and cultural history) that the word or words used for wine refer to “must,” a sweet, highly valued product of grapes (or other fruit) that has not undergone fermentation.
●A general principle of hermeneutics, very widely agreed on and employed by scholars, is that unclear or less clear passages must be interpreted in the light of (i.e., their meaning must be consistent with) clearer passages.
Personally, I find the arguments to be well presented and rather compelling. I don't know enough related to the linguistic and historical analysis to dispute the notion that “wine” in the Bible is non-alcoholic, but the book's arguments make sense. An opponent might say that “wine” must be alcoholic because merely picking grapes and allowing them to sit causes fermentation; this is simply not true. Fermentation only occurs at a particular temperature range and when an agent such as yeast is added. The fermenting juice must be kept airtight or nearly so to prevent excessive loss of carbon dioxide. Even with all conditions fulfilled, the process requires adjustments over time. Without all of these factors in place, either fermentation will not occur and/or other chemical processes will occur that do not result in alcoholic wine. The opponent might contend that the ancients knew enough of this information to create the conditions for the desired result, but this is precisely the book's point: A nonzero effort must be employed to ensure that fermentation occurs, even if the individual steps are relatively easy once discovered.
The only biblical notion that keeps me from agreeing fully with the book's overall conclusion—that drinking alcoholic beverages is definitively proscribed by Scripture—is expressed in Matthew 15:11, in which Jesus said, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The point is that the substances that we eat and drink cannot be inherently sinful, so the act of eating or drinking them cannot, in itself, constitute sin; this misses the deeper source of sin, the heart.
However, the Bible commands us to learn and apply wisdom. In every case where alcoholic beverages are clearly in view, the Bible strongly states that their use is unwise. Thus, while I won't declare that merely consuming something is innately sinful, it's difficult for me to justify putting an intoxicating substance into my body. The facts of chemistry are clear: Even tiny amounts of alcohol almost instantly cause decreases in inhibition, judgment, self-control, awareness, physical capability, and so forth; also, the body treats alcohol as a harmful substance, metabolizing it 100% and using none of it for nutrition or any purpose beneficial to health.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished” may be a few years off. My edition has no ISBN and is called simply (and rather awkwardly) Bible Wines Laws of Fermentation. I couldn’t find its cover image among any of the editions listed on Goodreads.
March 13, 2018
One of the most disappointing books I have ever read. Rife with blatantly incorrect translations, mind-boggling contortions of logic, and not a single word of instruction on how to ferment wine like the ancients. Do not bother.
April 5, 2019
This is basically a research paper and a very interesting one. It clarifies a lot about the “did Jesus turn water Into alcohol or grape juice?” question.
January 12, 2020
very good source of information on the subject matter. In a nutshell there were 2 kinds of wine historically . . . non-fermented and fermented.
March 4, 2024
Kindle version is nigh unreadable.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews