Did Jesus help people at the wedding of Cana get drunk?

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SacredHeartBassist said:
and we know that the wine of the past was more intoxicating than wine today
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Huh?

The strength of wine is determined by the sugar content of the grapes, and how much alcohol the yeast can handle. Either higher yield grapes, or a strain that fermented further, would have been sought out and preserved.

Now, beer was probably weaker for other reasons.

Before yeast was “discovered”, it was propagated in beer by adding a bit of a good prior batch to the new. Grapes, however, naturally get enough yeast on their surface to begin fermentation (although today, it is usually boosted).
BlueMaxx said:
Happy fact…Belgian Ale was accidentally discovered by Monks preparing a grog for their fasting that was open fermented by vagrant bees…
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But it was in those fermenters waiting to ferment, anyway.

Those stains of yeast haven’t been successfully isolated and added artificially to this day. They occur in something like a seven square mile area. Similarly, Guinness still uses some old wood parts for souring 3%, as they haven’t been able to duplicate the bacteria effectively.
Entwhistler said:
Another reason why fasting is good for humanity.
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I think it was hefeweissen that was sent to Rome to ask if it was acceptable for Lent. Given the time of year it was shipped, by the time it arrived, the Pope found it appropriately penitential!

hawk
 
SacredHeartBassist said:
I mean, they ran out of wine and Jesus made more and we know that the wine of the past was more intoxicating than wine today, so was the wedding at Cana pretty boozy?
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I would think so. Wine makes us pretty tipsy, and we are when we drink more than we should, we are not supermen. There are people of course who can hold their drink and perhaps will not get drunk easily.

Like in most weddings, people are often loud and freer. I cannot think of it any other way.
 
Scripture has it that the Lord made wine to gladden our hearts (Psalm 104:15).
 
BlueMaxx said:
And do you really want to accuse Christ our Lord of getting people drunk and leading them into sin?
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“Getting drunk” might be strong, but I think it demonstrates that occasionally letting your hair down is not sinful. There are people who think that enjoying anything worldly is sinful, even in moderation. Cana is a pretty good response.
 
Jesus’ act, his first miracle, was a symbol of the abundance of his blood, the wine of the New Covenant, liberally poured out on us. And of the Wedding Feast in heaven to come. I just love to meditate on this scene; it is SO rich in meaning. Mary’s part included!
 
Obviously Jesus is not going to help someone get drunk. To intentionally cause yourself to be intoxicated to the point of limiting your ability to make good moral decisions is gravely sinful. Jesus would not help anyone do that.

Jesus did, however, make more wine after men had already drank plenty. How to work out the seeming contradiction here, I am not exactly sure. But there are a couple things I think one should keep in mind: Getting “buzzed” is not the same thing as getting drunk. In fact, both Scripture and Tradition speak positively about getting buzzed on occasion. Secondly, wine in Jesus’ day was probably about 3-4% alcohol, which is about the same as your average beer, but only a 1/4 as much alcohol content as wine today. And third, perhaps Jesus knew that making more wine, in this particular circumstance at least, was not going to be an occasion of sin (even though it could have been in other circumstances).
 
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Wow, never new that; I thought that 150 proof was something being done today… anyway, there’s no sign that people were drunk/plastered; since there’s no mention of the number of guests nor the alcoholic content of the wine there’s no way of telling.

However, I, sincerely, doubt that Christ would provide wine to already inebriated people.

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Theo2 said:
They must have suspected Jesus had some power
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I cannot concur.

It was Jesus’ first miracle; some do romanticize about the Child Jesus performing miracles (movies); it goes against Scriptures: ‘at the wedding at Cana Jesus performed His first miracle, to the amazement of His Followers.’ (paraphrased)

Maran atha!

Angel
 
It goes to the manna in the desert: Divine Providence!

Maran atha!

Angel
 
2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

That is the only time alcohol is mentioned in the Catechism.

There is a very wide range from stone cold sober to being so intoxicated you endanger your own or others’ safety.

The Protestant Temeprence movement has very much clouded the American idea of “drunk”, equating what the common person today would call “buzzed” or “tipsy” the same as someone who is blacked out and does not know what they are doing/saying.

Remember in Acts when the crowd said that Peter and the Apostles were drunk? Their response was not “we are Christians, we would not get drunk!” their answer was “It is still early! No one would be drunk this early in the day!”

So, while I will be flamed and called many names for this, going to a feast and consuming enough wine that you are tipsy or a little drunk is not always grave matter. If you are not a danger to yourself or others, if you still have control over your actions, enjoy your wine.
 
You may be right. However, we are left with the question how they knew to come to Mary?
Jesus did teach in the Temple and amazed the scholars. Also, the Bible says that everything
in not included so there may have been other works.
 
I’m a half-year into reading my Bible in a Year (from Ascension Press) and the only drinking episode that I recall is Noah getting drunk. A Jewish commentary (probably a midrash or homily) explained that he was decimated over the loss of human life, perhaps he had “survivor’s guilt” as we would say today. That’s why he grew the grapes and fermented them.

The only other reference in Jewish commentaries I’ve read is about the joyful celebration of the feast of Purim (book of Ester). “If you’re not enjoying yourself on Purim then you haven’t had enough to drink.”
 
@meltzerboy the book of Esther describes a seven day celebration, which, the Jewish commentaries say was common in the biblical lands, Jewish or pagan. People had to travel long distances, sometimes, for a celebration and so the celebrations were extended.
 
TaylorDonBarret said:
And third, perhaps Jesus knew that making more wine, in this particular circumstance at least, was not going to be an occasion of sin (even though it could have been in other circumstances).
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We do not know how many guests were involved; yet, there’s a telling on how not drunk they were: drunks lose perspective (unsightly women look statuesque and glamorous to most drunks). However, the first comment was: ‘you’ve done the opposite; you’ve reserved the best wine for last.’ (paraphrased) I’ve known people who start with cognac and end up sucking on choco vine–they even swear by the vine!

Maran atha!

Angel
 
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