Is Wine Religious?

I’m not looking to bless the fact that I might enjoy a glass or two of Dom Pérignon now and then, even though monk themed, but many will know that certain religious symbols and themes mention wine in some way or another.

So, is wine religious? The answer would depend on which religion and faith, but YES is the answer. In Christianity, wine represents the blood of Christ (sacrament of Communion) and many will recognise its appearance within the memorial in the Last Supper. Similarly, in Judaism, wine is a symbol of joy and is essential in various rituals, such as the Kiddush in Shabbat and the four cups drunk during the Passover Seder.

Outside of these two religions, wine will still appear along with other forms of alcohol and have varying levels of meaning and usage.

Mythology. Alongside religion, wine also makes a prominent appearance in mythology with the Greek God of Wine (and festivity) being Dionysus. The goddess counterpart of Dionysus, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, so she has a direct hand in the harvest of grapes, and thus the creation of wine. It’s safe to say that she has an important role in the lifecycle of wine! source in good taste

Outside of Greece, wine also takes the lead title:

Sesmu is the Egyptian God of pressing oils and wine

Yidi is the Chinese God of wine and alcohol

Bacchus is the Italian God of drinking and the freedom to do whatever one pleases to do.

 

Why is it that today we think of wine being religious? Wine is referenced in many religious records and books. Dating back to Egyptian times some 4,000 BCE as well as embedded within Japanese history with (sake) wine marked at the Shinto shrines. Given the prestigious title of a ‘sign of God’ within Hebrew scriptures Genesis 27:28, Deuteronomy 7:13, Amos 9:24. Wine is seen as a sacred drink for many cultures, faiths, religions and even myths.

Wine is seen as not only a symbolism of sacred scripture, it also represents joyous occasions, blessings and celebrations though also caution is associated with the word!

Is wine mentioned in the Bible? A total of 25 times wine is mentioned in the Bible. An example is: Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Jesus Turned Water into Wine: The story of Jesus turning water into wine is a well-known event in the New Testament of the Bible, in the Gospel of John 2:1-11. Here is a summary of the story: ‘The event takes place at a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus, along with his disciples, is invited to the wedding. During the celebration, they ran out of wine, which was a significant social embarrassment in that cultural context. Mary, the mother of Jesus, informs him of the situation, and Jesus responds by performing his first public miracle.‘ source Bible Study Tools