What does the Bible say about alcohol?

Evangelical Christianity has a complicated relationship with alcohol. For years, many believers have welcomed it as a gift from God, while others have rejected it as a definite, Spirit-quenching sin. But what does the Bible actually say about alcohol and its use?

Alcohol is a pervasive theme throughout the Bible. In The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine: Audio Lectures, John Anthony Dunne offers an exhaustive exploration of the references to alcohol and its related imagery within the Old and New Testaments. His biblical-theological approach allows for the nuance of the genres and historical periods of the Bible to shed light on how we are to approach the topic.

In his thorough account, Dunne argues that the symbolism of wine and other fermented drinks in the Bible is multifaceted and complex--as a good vintage itself would be. We must be attuned to the various ways in which biblical authors deploy this motif, dripping with theological symbolism, when they speak of creation, covenant, kingdom, wise decision-making, and more. The Bible's kingdom-oriented imagery communicates a call for wisdom in the everyday life of the Christian disciple with an overarching vision that what Christians think about alcohol, regardless of position, has significant impact on community life.