Reference

John 2:10

Permissible Use (Moderation)Drunkenness Condemned

“And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Permissible Use (Moderation)

The verse describes a common practice at feasts, where good wine is served first and then inferior wine. The host of the wedding feast is commending Jesus (unbeknownst to him) for producing excellent wine *later* in the feast. While the verse clearly mentions wine and its consumption, it does not explicitly present wine or alcohol as a "blessing," "gift," or "acceptable part of life when used properly." The statement is an observation about the quality of wine and the timing of its serving, not

Drunkenness Condemned

The verse does not explicitly condemn drunkenness. It describes a common practice at feasts where the best wine is served first, and then inferior wine. The statement "when men have well drunk" is a descriptive observation of a typical scenario, not a condemnation of the act of drinking itself or of becoming drunk. The focus of the verse is on the quality of the wine and the timing of its presentation, contrasting the usual practice with Jesus' miraculous provision of the best wine last.

Permissible Use (Moderation)

Related Verses

John 2:8

“And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.”

John 2:3

“And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.”

John 2:9

“When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,”

John 2:7

“Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.”

John 2:4

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

Thematic Connections

Permissible Use (Moderation)Drunkenness Condemned

Private Study Note

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