Health and Temperance

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 9, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 22.

Health and Temperance.

FERMENTED OR UNFERMENTED WINE AT COMMUNION?

WHETHER fermented or unfermented wine shall be used at the Lord's Supper has been the subject of much discussion, and does not seem to be settled yet. If men had let reason prevail over appetite in this discussion, there would have been no difficulty; but, as is usually the case, they have sought to find proof that would coincide with their desires. No man likes to live under condemnation for any practice; therefore if he is determined to follow it, he will at once prove, to his own satisfaction at least, that the practice is correct, and will try to persuade others to the same idea. Their earnestness in defending their theory leads them to believe that they are honest; and many well-meaning persons accept their assertions unquestioningly, on account of their apparent sincerity.

It is claimed that all the wines mentioned in the Bible were intoxicating, and that no such thing as unfermented wine is known in the East, even to the present day. Instances are not few where a poor inebriate who has gained a partial victory over his appetite for drink, has been cast down to a more degraded position than ever before, because his slumbering appetite was aroused by the taste of fermented wine at the Lord's Supper. That which should be the "cup of blessing" is, in such a case, the "cup of devils."

Now it does not require a lengthy dissertation on Bible wines to prove that at the Lord's Supper unfermented wine was used. Indeed, it can be easily shown that any other than this would be highly improper. In the first place, in all the accounts of this supper, "wine" is not mentioned. That which they drank is stated by our Lord to be the "fruit of the vine." Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18. By this we must understand that they had "the pure blood of the grape" (Deut. 32:14), for the fruit of the vine is unfermented.

That the ancients used this as a drink may be seen from Gen. 40:11. But more positive proof can be given that only unfermented wine was used at the Lord's Supper. Christ was celebrating the passover with his disciples. The passover was termed the feast of the unleavened. (The term bread is not found in the original.) In Ex. 12:19 we read, "Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses;" "for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel." The word "leaven" means simply "ferment," and the command was, therefore, that during the passover feast nothing that was fermented should be found in their houses. Christ and his disciples were Jews, and were celebrating this feast in accordance with Jewish custom; and, therefore, it is not possible that fermented wine could have been used at this time, even had they desired to use it.

But one more thought will show the impropriety of using fermented wine in connection with this ordinance. In presenting the cup to his disciples, Christ said, "This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Matt. 26:28. The wine represents "the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:19. The offering that was made was perfectly "pure" and "without blemish," and should be represented by that which is the most pure. Now fermentation is simply a process of decomposition. That which has been fermented has commenced to decay, and therefore fermented wine is decomposed wine. Fermented wine could under no circumstances be called "the fruit of the vine," unless it were made from rotten grapes. Would it not be sacrilege to represent so pure a thing as Christ's blood by that which has decayed? This view of the subject will not be considered "insignificant and worthless" except by those whose reason is blinded by a perverted appetite. If it is of any importance at all whether we follow an ordinance of the Lord or not, it is of importance that we do it in the proper manner. "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."