Should wine or grape juice be used for communion?

Answer

Whether it is acceptable to serve (and/or receive) either wine or grape juice during communion is a topic that can be highly divisive. Individuals passionately defend their stance, and sometimes, in their fervor to uphold their position, they may lose sight of the main issue, which is the symbolic representation of the shed blood of our Lord and Savior establishing the New Covenant.

The consumption of wine in Old Testament times is clearly documented in Scripture. Its use (or misuse) is first mentioned when Noah became intoxicated and exposed himself in his tent «and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. », (Genesis 9:21). Subsequently, we observe King Melchizedek offering wine to Abram after his return from a battle (Genesis 14:17-18). In Exodus 29:40, God commands the use of wine as part of the Levitical sacrificial system, and when David was crowned king, his men celebrated for three days with food and wine (1 Chronicles 12:38-40). Additionally, Psalm 104:15 highlights that God created wine to gladden the heart of man. Furthermore, the LORD is depicted preparing a future feast for His people featuring rich food, including a “banquet of aged wine” «And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. », (Isaiah 25:6).

Moving to the New Testament, we are aware that Jesus’ inaugural miracle involved transforming water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11).

And our Lord Himself not only drank wine “The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!”, (Luke 7:34), but He said He would also drink it in heaven with us “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”, (Matthew 26:29). Additionally, the apostle Paul instructed Timothy to use wine instead of “only water” so as to make his stomach better “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”, (1 Timothy 5:23).

Notwithstanding the frequency with which we see the use of wine throughout the Bible, it is equally clear that drunkenness is never acceptable. In fact, Ephesians 5:18 states it quite succinctly: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.” As indicated, the proponents of drinking wine clearly have much Scripture available to support the position they take, and the above examples (with the exception of Noah) reflect how wine, when used properly and in moderation, can indeed be a good thing.

Those who feel wine should not be used also make some cogent arguments, and it should be noted that they too have scriptural references to cite in support thereof. (See, for example, Proverbs 4:17; Proverbs 20:1; and 23:29-32:) And in Leviticus 10:9 we see the LORD tell Aaron that neither he nor his sons were to drink wine whenever they went into the tent of meeting or they would die.

As for using wine or grape juice in the Lord’s Supper, there is no hard aThere is no fast biblical rule that states one is preferred or acceptable. For those who use wine, certainly, if someone refuses to drink from the cup due to its alcoholic content, then that is a valid concern. Or if someone is going to be distracted in any way as they approach the cup, then that, too, is a valid concern as it may cause them to lose focus on the real issue and thereby disregard Christ’s command that we do this in remembrance of Him.

In a similar vein, the apostle Paul said, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine themselves before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on themselves” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). Therefore, the crucial question is whether we are drinking from the cup in a worthy manner. As we approach the altar to partake of the Lord’s Supper, are we doing so in a ritualistic manner? Are we merely going through the motions? Is our sinful human nature making us indifferent; do we have an unrepentant heart? Perhaps harboring a spirit of bitterness or any ungodly attitude? Unconfessed sin? We need introspection here, examining our hearts and ensuring we remember the significance of what we are doing and what Christ has done for us before partaking of the cup.

Nowhere in God’s Word do we find a command or requirement regarding the fermentation level of the cup’s contents. Nevertheless, if anyone holds a strong opinion either way about what their church serves, that is acceptable if the fervor arises from a desire to do what, in their view, best honors the Savior. However, we must be cautious not to cross the line where our fervor causes us to lose sight of the very real, very sacred matter of what the cup symbolizes. If it were not for the shed bloodOf Jesus Christ, we would not be able to be in the presence of our great God initially (Hebrews 10:19-25). Any religious endeavor, practice, matter, or discussion that leads us to lose sight of the sanctity of the cup steers us down a path the Lord would rather we avoid.