~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~
Question: Could you please explain 1 Timothy 5:23 and Ephesians 5:18. I am confused.1 Timothy 3:3 says a bishop is to be not given to wine. 3:8 says a deacon is to be not given to much wine. How could a bishop partake in it (1 Timothy 5:23)? What about the ones who overdo it (Ephesians 5:18)?
Answer: I can understand your confusion over these Scriptures. Wine was then, of course, made originally of pure grape juice. This grape juice was then stored in "wineskins." They did not have refrigeration in those days, so fermentation would set in to the wine in a very short time. Therefore, wine was usually intoxicating, with its strength dependent on the age of the wine. Now, grapes was one of their most important crops, and they had to make their crops last until the next crop. The only practical way to do this was to squeeze out the juice, and store it in wineskins. Grapes do not keep very long when ripe, so they had to accept the fact that it would soon become fermented. They drank it, but the most prudent persons would be very careful about how much of it they drank at any given time. That is, moderation was the rule among them.
1 Timothy 3:3 and 3:8, when studied in the original Greek use terms for the qualifications of elders and deacons that are for all practical purposes, equivalent. Paul's admonition is that they should not be people who are excessive in the use of wine, so that they would be drunk. Ephesians 5: 18 also refers to such a condition, that a person should avoid overusing wine to the extent that they would get drunk.
Now, regarding Paul's admonition to Timothy, that because of the medicinal value of wine, he should take a "little" wine because of his weak stomach. In that part of the world, and during that time, water purification had not yet been developed, and water was often polluted. This is true even in our day in certain parts of the world.
In our day, it is not necessary for us to drink wine, because fresh grape juice can be bottled or canned, so that the benefit of the grape can be preserved for us without the danger of our becoming addicted to the alcohol in it. You can buy grape juice at any grocery store, and do not have to worry about getting drunk on it. We can serve communion in our churches with pure grape juice.
The apostle Paul wrote that we should not do anything which would cause someone to stumble (Romans 14:21). I personally do not drink anything alcoholic, for at least two reasons: first, because I do not want to expose myself to the danger of becoming an alcoholic, and second, even if I should want to drink it, I must consider the danger of causing a brother to stumble. Also, consider these Scripture verses, among others: Proverbs 20:1, 21:17, and 23:31-35.
I hope that I have been helpful in answering your question.
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