poor Timothy huh
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
i take it you think Paul is a false apostle? out to blind all of Christianity?
Read the context, and who was with Paul (Luke):
So, when Paul, after exhorting for so long about those things of "godliness", "sobriety", "vigilance" and "truth" and the stark contrast of "ungodliness", "evil", "sin" and "error", etc, when then of the text at hand?
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. 1 Timothy 5:23
Let us look closer at each individual part:
"Drink no longer water, but..."
"...use a little wine for..."
"...thy stomach's sake and..."
"...thine often infirmaties."
Let us consider as we shall, that many times Luke [“Only Luke is with me. ...”2 Timothy 4:11;p], the beloved physician, was with Paul on his journeyings, and so could help with medical advice about health concerning "infirmaties" which Timothy seemed to have and that concering his "stomach's sake". Let us begin to consider what is being said by Paul to Timothy, by what we have learned in those Epistles and shall yet learn from the "scriptures" on the subject of "wine", for far be it from us to build a doctrine from scripture to advocate the drinking of alcohol from such a text as this when all of the context itself goes against such an idea to begin with.
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. 1 Timothy 5:23
"Drink no longer water, but..."
"...use a little wine for..."
"...thy stomach's sake and..."
"...thine often infirmaties."
Other translations also help to bring out what Paul is saying to Timothy:
Bible in Basic English
5:23Do not take only water as your drink, but take a little wine for the good of your stomach, and because you are frequently ill.
World English Bible
5:23 Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.
Young's Literal Translation
5:23 no longer be drinking water, but a little wine be using, because of thy stomach and of thine often infirmities;
etc...
We see that Timothy was only a "water drinker" and was refusing to accept any "wine"[pure grape juice]. Why should this be so? For Timothy was very strict in his duty toward God, in that he understood "that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in [his] brother's way" [Romans 14:13;p; for there were still Nazarites who became Christians], "take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak"[1 Corinthians 8:9;p], he being, exhorted to be an "example of the believers" and was making sure that he ate or drank nothing that would by outward appearance cause the downfall of another:
Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22,
... for it was obvious to "abstain from all evil" and yet also better still to even "abstain from all appearance of evil", for some in the scripture have not that knowledge of the difference between "wine"[unfermented; grape juice] and "wine"[fermented; alcohol], and from this second, many were taken by its evil, while others still were to even place blame upon those partaking of the first, just as had been done at Pentecost by the unbelievers ["mocking"; Acts 2:13] and also of those concerning the meats and idols.
"Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge:..." 1 Corinthians 8:7;p
"... to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" Colossians 1:9;p
And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.1 Corintians 13:2
Timothy, just as Paul, would rather "drink water only" in Christian "charity"[love] than cause anyone to stumble even over that which is perfectly fine to partake of according to the Word of God [in this case, the grape juice]. He was placing himself in more of a "nazarite" position, "sober", "grave", "sobriety", "pure", "holy", etc, by conscious choice, without actually taking any such vow. However, it seemed he was doing so even at the cost of his own health, which was unsafe, in his condition, to do.
Paul then gives advice [likely by the aid of Luke the physician and Holy Spirit] on this condition of Timothy, in letting him know that he could relax on the severe strictness of his current position [which was to partake not even of the pure fruit of the vine], without compromise to integrity and conscience, in saying to Timothy, "Drink no longer water, but..." so that he may "...use a little wine..." [grape juice]"...for..." his particular "stomach" ailments and "often infirmaties".
It is well known of the powerful antioxidants and curative properties of the pure grape juice, especially in stomach ailments and other infirmaties, for it is truly a "revitalizing" drink, full of flavonoids, vitamins, etc. Medical research is confirming even the scriptures here.
However, to recommend alcoholic beverage to someone constantly ill and suffering from stomach ailments would cause them greater harm and suffering.
In fact, Timothy could mix the two [water and grapejuice] even reducing the strength of the grape juice by cutting it or mixing it with water, in case others may yet complain that Timothy had become a "winebibber" and "drunkard"[as the Pharisees had falsely accused and so done to Jesus]:
"...thy wine mixed with water."Isaiah 1:22;p
The disciples could drink the juice of the grape [that "fruit of the vine" or “new wine”, being unfermented], as had been done at the Wedding in Cana, the Passover [wave sheaf and "first-fruits", the time of the "first ripe grapes", even that which came directly from "the vine" and "branches", "the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes", "took the grapes, and pressed them into ... cup", or from the "winepresses" which are "burst out with new wine", being the thanks giving of "joy and gladness" of the "blessing" from God of the great harvest to come, etc] and at Pentecost, etc.
However, even as Paul has said elsewhere, that even that which is normally good [pure juice of the grape], may not be immediately expedient or edifying in certain situations [just as was the [clean] meats]:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.1 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.1 Corinthians 10:23
It would be the same as someone personally abstaining from Carob [perfectly fine to eat, even healthy] from people who may have health issues and dietary problems with their choice of chocolate. Or like eating almond/soy/oat "ice cream" in front of them which have issues in their own diet [perhaps they cannot yet cease from sweets or even dangerous sugars, thus becoming diabetics].
Paul would never advocate or recommend to Timothy an action which could lead to his downfall, stumbling, causing others to stumble, into sin, or to a practice which could lead away from Christ Jesus and/or "cause one to forget" His Law and Word.
Alcohol is an intoxicant, a posion and causes one to not be in full control of their senses or reasoning.
Yet the pure Juice of the Grape and unfermented was revitalizing and refreshing, excellent for health and restoration, quickening the mind and body:
And what the land [is], whether it [be] fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time [was] the time of the firstripe grapes.Numbers 13:20
And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Deuteronomy 7:13
And when David was a little past the top [of the hill], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2 Samuel 16:1
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.2 Samuel 16:2
Who would give alcohol [known to cause dehydration], to someone "faint in the wilderness"? What physician or Apostle would give advice to Timothy to drink alcohol for his illness? "Foolishness" and "folly" of those who try to turn the "blessing" and "gift of God" and His judgment into "gall" and of His righteousness into "hemlock" [Amos 6:12].
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