Today's Scripture Reading (November 7, 2021): Leviticus 10
I had a discussion a few weeks ago with a friend who
was offended that we use grape juice instead of wine in our Lord's Supper celebration. Traditions vary, and I know of churches who serve grape juice, and of those who serve wine, and still others who reserve
positions on the tray for either, giving their congregants the choice of either juice or
wine. My friend argued that if the Bible says that the Lord's Supper was first initiated using wine, the church should
use wine. Now, I am not a traditionalist and have often argued that the use of
the elements in that first Lord's Supper was more out of convenience than prescribing the way we should celebrate the ritual. Jesus simply used the items that were on the table, but my friend's comment drove me back to Bible. Surprisingly, my
study revealed that the New Testament writers chose to use the word "cup" and "fruit of the vine" rather than "wine" in every case. Was it wine in those cups? Very
likely, but we can't
make the argument that the Bible says "wine," so we should drink "wine" in our Lord's Supper celebrations.
But there is also a change of place. That first Lord's Supper was celebrated around a dinner table with
thirteen friends. The contemporary celebration of the meal occurs more often in church than in any other place. And we need to ask the question,
does that make a difference in what we do.
Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, had offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. The fire these priests offered was fire that did not come from the altar and the redemption work
of the Temple, and therefore it was forbidden. It sometimes surprises us, and
apparently, Nadab and Abihu, that fire is not just fire, and not all fire was authorized. And for Nadab and Abihu,
it was a deadly mistake. In God's response to the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, God makes this lasting ordinance for all the
generations that would follow. Alcohol was prohibited from use in the
Tabernacle, and by extension, in the Temple that would replace it. This prohibition makes some scholars wonder if the sin of Nadab and
Abihu was the result of drunkenness instead of just religious carelessness. But
from this point forward, wine or any other alcoholic drink was not to be used in the Tabernacle.
Biblical historians have questioned if this was a total prohibition of alcohol or just a
prohibition of alcohol in the Temple. We probably don't have enough information to make that valuation, but
practically it seems to have only applied to the Temple.
All of which brings us back to our Lord's Supper celebration and the question of wine or
grape juice. Which drink is suitable for our contemporary ritual? I am still not sure, but if the celebration happens
in the church, I think it would be best to err on the side of grape juice.
Alexander Maclaren makes this observation;
"Nothing
has more power to blur the sharpness of moral and religious insight than even a
small amount of alcohol. God must be worshipped with a clear brain and
naturally beating heart…. Lips stained from the wine-cup would not be fit to
speak holy words. Words spoken by such would carry no power." (Alexander Maclaren)
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 11
No comments:
Post a Comment