Alcohol in the Bible Alcohol in the Bible Alcoholic beverages appear in the Hebrew Bible, after Noah planted a vineyard and became inebriated. In the New Testament, Jesus miraculously made copious amounts of wine at the marriage at Cana. Wine is the most common alcoholic beverage mentioned in biblical literature, where it is a source of symbolism, and was an important part of daily life in biblical times. Additionally, the inhabitants of ancient Israel drank beer, and wines made from fruits other than grapes, and references to these appear in scripture. Biblical literature displays an ambivalence toward intoxicating drinks, considering them both a blessing
Marriage at Cana may also be interpreted as the antitype of Moses' first public miracle of . This would establish a symbolic link between Moses as the first savior of the Jews through their escape from Egypt and Jesus as the spiritual savior of all people. Some commentators have speculated about the identity of the unnamed bridegroom. One tradition, represented by Thomas Aquinas among others, holds that the bridegroom was St John the Evangelist himself. Bishop John Spong suggests in his book "Born of a Woman" that the event was actually the wedding of Jesus himself to Mary Magdalene. In 1854, at a