OINOS

B. Ward Powers bwpowers at eagles.com.au
Wed Jun 14 12:50:10 EDT 2000


At 05:38 PM 000612 +0000, B.J. Williamson wrote:

>If we concede the four-fold usage of Ward Powers' stance on OINOS,
>which I understood him to mean OINOS as it occured in the
>first century, not just the NT, then one is only left
>with the context to decide.


Yes: if we understand "context" here to mean (a) the immediate context of a 
particular reference to OINOS, plus (b) our understanding of the wider use 
of "wine" in the Scripture (that is, if we conclude that the area of 
meaning of "wine" can embrace the produce of the grape from when it is 
still in the grape on the vine right right through to the alcoholic liquid 
which can make you drunk, then we are open to the possibility as to which 
part of the area of meaning may be in view in a given occurrence of OINOS). 
plus (c) our understanding of customs and practice in the first century.


>I believe someone on this list had indicated (s)he felt the
>changing of water to wine was "grape juice." I presume if some
>care to dispute this, they must summon a defense within that
>context.


I myself would hold this view re the water into wine, and it would be on 
the basis of my taking account of all three areas of context, as set out above.



>I would venture to guess that many might offer an occurrence
>of non-alcoholic OINOS in Paul's admonishment to Timothy to
>take a bit of OINOS for whatever it was that was bothering
>his stomach. The intent not being for Tim to sneak a nip now
>and again, but to partake of this OINOS for stomach ailment.


I myself am open to the possibility that Timothy was being prescribed 
either alcoholic wine or grapejuice here; I do not have enough data to 
reach a judgement. Presumably the reason for the injunction is the dreadful 
state of the Ephesus water supply at the time (according to my 
understanding of the contemporary evidence), which seems to have caused 
Timothy some severe gastric upset. There may be a case here for the 
medicinal use of alcohol on occasion.

Regards,

Ward

                                 http://www.eagles.bbs.net.au/~bwpowers
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers             Phone (International): 61-2-9799-7501
10 Grosvenor Crescent             Phone (Australia): (02) 9799-7501
SUMMER HILL  NSW  2130            email: bwpowers at eagles.bbs.net.au
AUSTRALIA.                      Director, Tyndale College




More information about the B-Greek mailing list