Wine in the Bible Commentary

If you study out what the Bible says about wine and strong drink, you will find about 280 verses. About 65% of the verses reference wine, and vineyards associated with God blessing His people with abundance. Many of the other verses give instruction for the use of wine and warning for abuse. Like many things in life... there are good things from God, to be a part of His blessing to His people, but can be misused and abused. Eating and Sex are two examples of something God has given us for blessing and can be misused and abused. These are not evil or sin when done acording to God's guidlines and instruction. They are for our pleasure and blessing.
Many ask the question... Is drinking sin or wrong?
Nowhere in the Bible does it say drinking is sin or wrong. The Bible does warn us to not become drunk. Drinking and drunkenness, like eating and over eating, are examples of how something good can bring harm when done outside of
God's guidance. It does not make eating wrong, or drinking wrong just because there are those who choose to misuse or abuse these blessings. Many things in life can be compared this way and the Bible has much to say about it. The vow of the Nazirite found in Numbers 6:1-21, is a vow that was a special time of separation to God. During this time of separation, one was to not eat grapes, drink grape juice or wine and other items. It was not a life-time separation. Samson and John the Baptist are the only exceptions who were specifically called of God as Nazirites from birth and instructed to abstain from wine and strong drink all their lives. See also Judges 13:1-5 for Samson and Luke 1:13-15 for John the Baptist.
God does give instructions to the priesthood to not partake of strong drink while they are ministering in the tabernacle. Again, this is not a life time separation and you will find many scriptures that speak of wine for the prieshood to be used in offerings to the Lord and to be used for food for the priesthood. He also instructs Kings not to be drunk when they are making decisions for the kingdom.
When you look at the life of Jesus, who is our High Priest and example in Christian living... you will find that Jesus drank. His first miracle was turning water into wine. He drank with His diciples and before His death, said He would not drink again until He was in Heaven. So.. it appears that when you get to Heaven you will be at table with Jesus and drinking will be part of our meal. Many have said that the wine of the Bible is not like ours today. Some have said it did not have the same capacity to make one drunk. Yet you find many examples of drunkeness in both Old and New Testaments. The diciples were accused of drunkeness when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul corrected the church for drinking too much and getting drunk during communion. You can look up the words used for wine in "Strongs", and find they are the same words used in the verses that tells us not to become drunk with wine and the wine that Jesus drank and turned water into during His first miracle.
Wine was also used to help the stomach and used to bandage wounds. This is just a short overview of what the Bible has to say about drinking and the benefits and blessing of wine.
Many religious traditions say drinking is sin or evil. I for one... would not call something God has called good... evil. Of course we all have freedom of choice. You can choose for yourself how you will eat, or drink. Many are dying today because they make wrong choices when it comes to eating and/or over- eating. Yet we do not hear from the pulpit that we should not eat..? Somehow, drinking is considered evil or sin by many in the church. Yet Jesus drank and turned water into wine. He did not sin? You will not find any law that says not to drink or calls drinking evil or sin ?
When done according to Gods ways, eating and drinking bring life and blessing.