Paul to Timothy “Use a Little wine because of your Stomach” 1Tim 5:23

Paul to Timothy “Use a Little Wine because of your Stomach” 1Tim 5:23

Good morning dear reader and welcome to my space. Today, we shall be looking at a popular verse in the Bible where Apostle Paul was advising his Son in the Lord, Timothy to use little wine. Paul to Timothy “Use a Little Wine because of your Stomach” 1Tim 5:23.

“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” 1 Timothy 5 verse 23 (NIV).

This verse has been misused by people regards the consumption of alcoholic drinks. Whenever the issue of consumption of Alcoholic drinks is mentioned in Christiandom, they quickly make reference to it, quoting that Apostle Paul of “His Holiness” supports the taking of Alcohol. In this post, we shall try to examine the statement in 1 Timothy 5:23.

We shall answer the following questions:

• Why did Paul advise Timothy to take wine?
• Is Christian Drinking Alcoholic wine a sin?
• Should a Child of God Take Alcohol?

The above questions are the bone of contention whenever 1Timothy 5: 23 is referenced. However, I wish to state here that anyone who insinuates that Paul’s intention was for Timothy to start enjoying wine since he takes only water did not understand the passage.

To make it clear before someone gets offended, taking wine is not a sin for anyone, ok. Someone is asking right now what about alcoholic wine? That is a very good question. But another question that should follow is, did Paul say wine or alcoholic wine?

Hold on, please. I am not done. I know the next logic. I know you want to tell me that the type of wine the Jewish consumed is fermented wine and all fermented wines contained alcoholic. That is correct. They will still argue that the wine used in the Cannan during the marriage ceremony where Jesus Christ was invited contained alcohol. That is quite correct too.

Wines consumed by the Jewish are made from vines and grapes. The process of making the fruits extract to become wine is called the fermentation method. This process introduces alcoholic properties and the quantity of the alcohol in the wine is dependent on the number of days the wine is fermented.

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• Why did Paul advise Timothy to take wine?

So, if the wine contained alcohol, why did Paul advise Timothy to take wine? The answer is simple and straight. But before we give our answers, we will like to look at the bible verse again with 3 different translations:

1 Timothy 5: 23 seen from different Bible Versions

• ²³ Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (NIV)

 

• ²³ No longer continue drinking [only] water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (Amplified Version)

 

• ²³ Stop drinking water; instead, use a little wine for the sake of your digestion and because of your frequent illnesses. (Complete Jewish Bible) 

One thing to note in Paul’s advice/ instruction to Timothy on the use of wine is that no Bible version changed the word ‘use’. Note, Apostle Paul said; “use a little wine”. He didn’t say ‘drink’.

What we see here is a man who is on water Therapy due to illness. That is he uses water as his therapy and his master advises him to use wine as well to argument the water therapy.

The word ‘use’ indicates medication, it’s quite different from a direct command ‘drink’. Another word that is frequent in the translations is ‘little’. Paul advised that Timothy use a little wine.

So, if you are taking an alcoholic drink or wine on the excuse that Apostle Paul told Timothy to use it, remember the instruction, a little. A whole bottle of beer is not a little wine.

Paul to Timothy “Use a Little Wine because of your Stomach” 1Tim 5:23

 

• Why did Paul advise Timothy to take wine?

For health reasons. That is the answer. Timothy was battling stomach related illness. The last Bible version helped us so well in the explanation. It said; “..use a little wine for the sake of your digestion and because of your frequent illnesses. (Complete Jewish Bible)

Some wines like red wines are known as digestants. People consume it because it is medically said to be good for the heart and for digestion too. That could be the same with Jewish wine.

Timothy was having bloating, gas, indigestion (stomach ulcer). Foods don’t digest as they should in his stomach and a well-learned and vast in knowledge mentor who understands food as medicine came up with a panacea. The panacea for healing which Timothy needed at that time was found in wine (little wine).

 

• Is Christian Drinking Alcoholic wine a sin?

The second question to consider in this Bible verse is. Is Christian Drinking Alcoholic wine a sin? For this question, I will not give you my yes or my no.

However, if you are taking an alcoholic wine because you need it like Timothy, it is not a sin as long as you are not drinking into a stupor. If you are a true born-again child of God, no one will tell you what to eat and what to eat. When you walk with the Holy Spirit, you will be very conscious of what goes into your stomach and what controls your emotion.

My advice to every Christian is, if you must use wine, remember to be moderate. Don’t take it to the extent that it controls your thinking and your life. Use it and don’t let it use you. Remember you should use a little.

• Should a Child of God take Alcohol?

The third question that arises from 1 Timothy 5: 23 is should a child of God take an alcoholic drink? My candid answer is No. Alcohol is a spirit and what follows this spirit is huge.

It comes with the spirit of womanizing and the lost of self-control. A man or a woman who is under the influence of alcohol does not understand the move and the direction for the Holy Spirit.

A child of God can use Alcoholic wine as medicine if need be just like Timothy was advised to do. He must also remember he or she must use a little quantity, else it will intoxicate them.

Paul to Timothy “Use a Little Wine because of your Stomach” 1Tim 5:23

Summary

In conclusion, we said that the reason why Paul advised Timothy to use little wine is for health purposes. The wine was recommended as a solution to his lingering illness and stomach upset.

The wine was recommended to Timothy by Paul as a healing Therapy and as natural medicine. Paul was also conscious of his recommendation, he stated the dose (a little). He also mentioned the reason why he was recommending wine, knowing the spiritual implications.