First of all, of course, Jesus drank wine, and what the Lord Himself did cannot be a sin in and of itself. But pay attention to these last words, “in and of itself”: sin does not dwell in the action, but in the human heart; and the problem does not lie in the drinking of wine, but in what takes place within the person...
First of all, of course, Jesus drank wine, and what the Lord Himself did cannot be a sin in and of itself. But pay attention to these last words, “in and of itself”: sin does not dwell in the action, but in the human heart; and the problem does not lie in the drinking of wine, but in what takes place within the person.
From this follows the second point: there are many passages in Scripture that speak of drinking wine in a positive sense (there is no need to list them all; I will only mention 2:1-11; 26:27-29; 5:23), but there are also many passages warning about the danger of abusing wine (again, I will provide just a few references: 9:20-22; 20:1; 28:7; 21:34; 5:18).
Third, the Gospel approach to our worldly affairs does not consist in asking what is “permissible” or “forbidden,” but rather whether it draws me closer to God or distances me from Him, whether it helps my neighbors or causes them to stumble. “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful,” writes the Apostle Paul. And it is precisely in our relationship with God and our neighbors that the boundary is determined, where the “gladness of heart” ends and “debauchery” begins.
In conclusion, I will offer one specific example. The well-known Orthodox priest Father Alexander Men always knew how to partake in a festive gathering, but in the last years of his life, he refused all alcoholic beverages (even those with low alcohol content), stating that in our country, where alcoholism is a national problem, he preferred not to be a stumbling block to others, nor to give them the opportunity to point at him and say: look, even the priest drinks.
26
26:17 On the first day of unleavened bread - Being Thursday, the fourteenth day of the first month, Exo 12:6, Exo 12:15. Mar 14:12 Luk 22:7
26:18 The Master saith, My time is at hand - That is, the time of my suffering.
26:20 Mar 14:17; Luk 22:14.
26:23 He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish - Which it seems Judas was doing at that very time. This dish was a vessel full of vinegar, wherein they dipped their bitter herbs.
26:24 The Son of man goeth through sufferings to glory, as it is written of him - Yet this is no excuse for him that betrayeth him: miserable will that man be: it had been good for that man if he had not been born - May not the same be said of every man that finally perishes? But who can reconcile this, if it were true of Judas alone, with the doctrine of universal salvation?
26:25 Thou hast said - That is, it is as thou hast said.
26:26 Jesus took the bread - the bread or cake, which the master of the family used to divide among them, after they had eaten the passover. The custom our Lord now transferred to a nobler use.This bread is, that is, signifies or represents my body, according to the style of the sacred writers. Thus Gen 40:12, The three branches are three days. Thus Gal 4:24, St. Paul speaking of Sarah and Hagar, says, These are the two covenants.Thus in the grand type of our Lord, Exo 12:11, God says of the paschal lamb, This is the Lord's passover. Now Christ substituting the holy communion for the passover, follows the style of the Old Testament, and uses the same expressions the Jews were wont to use in celebrating the passover.
26:27 And he took the cup - Called by the Jews the cup of thanksgiving; which the master of the family used likewise to give to each after supper.
26:28 This is the sign of my blood, whereby the new testament or covenant is confirmed. Which is shed for many - As many as spring from Adam.
26:29 I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, till I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom - That is, I shall taste no more wine, till I drink wine of quite another kind in the glorious kingdom of my Father. And of this you shall also partake with me.
26:30 And when they had sung the hymn - Which was constantly sung at the close of the passover. It consisteth of six psalms, from the 113th to the 118th. Psa 113:1 etc. The mount of Olives - Was over against the temple, about two miles from Jerusalem. Mar 14:26; Luk 22:39; Joh 18:1.
26:31 All ye will be offended at me - Something will happen to me, which will occasion your falling into sin by forsaking me. Zec 13:7.
26:32 But notwithstanding this, after I am risen I will go before you (as a shepherd before his sheep) into Galilee. Though you forsake me, I will not for this forsake you.
26:34 Before cock crowing thou wilt deny me thrice - That is, before three in the morning, the usual time of cock crowing: although one cock was heard to crow once, after Peter's first denial of his Lord.
26:35 In like manner also said all the disciples - But such was the tenderness of our Lord, that he would not aggravate their sin by making any reply.