I know drunkenness is condemned in Scripture, yet it seems that Jesus contributed to the drunkeness at the wedding feast when he turned the water to wine.

 
 
I'm afraid we can't agree with your conclusions. First of all, Scripture doesn't say anything about drunkenness at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). Secondly, to blame the Lord Jesus for drunkenness by changing water into wine is like blaming God for the Great Chicago Fire because He created wood with the capacity to burn. No one is responsible for drunkenness except the person who chooses to overdrink. I think it's important to draw a distinction between the fact that God created good things in the first place, and the possibility that those good things can be abused. He is never responsible for our sinful choices.

Sue Bohlin
Probe Ministries

 
 
I read the e-mail in which you stated that no where in the text does it say that anyone at the wedding at which Jesus changed the water to wine does it say anyone was drunk. I disagree with that. Immediately after I read that e-mail I opened my Bible and this is what I found.

KJV states in John 2:10 - "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."

RSV states in the same verse - "And said to him, Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."

Now I will agree does it not state point blank in either of these verses that anyone was drunk, but it is most certainly implied. I also agree that Jesus cannot be blamed for the state of the people at the wedding, but He was there and the people were drunk.

Thank you for your wonderful site. I do enjoy it very much, and have learned a great amount for it. I don't mean to be rude by writing this, but I felt it necessary.

 
 
Thanks for sharing your input on this e-mail response. I'm afraid I have to continue to disagree. In John 2:10, the wedding steward, in complimenting the bridegroom for the quality of the wine Jesus created, draws upon what usually happens at other weddings: "Usually, people serve the good stuff first, and then when the guests' taste buds are dulled by drinking, they pull out the inferior stuff, but hey! You saved the best for last!" (very loose translation <grin>) The fact that John 2:10 records what the steward said about OTHER celebrations doesn't mean the wedding at Cana was a drunken brawl; in fact, I think the fact that they ran out of wine would rather indicate the opposite.

Sue