Bible Women and Wine

Here we are in mid-May. Probably there are gardens and plants blooming, depending on where you live. That’s certainly true here. Are you still staying at home? Or have you started to go places more frequently with new guidelines like face masks and getting your temperature taken? It’s an unsettling time, for sure.  

Since Easter, we’ve been looking at some of the ingredients Bible women had and used. We are applying stories and recipes from my book A Sampler of Bible Beauty as we consider what the women of centuries ago can teach us. Each week, we are thinking about ways to reach out to those affected by the COVID19 virus, too. So far we’ve considered milk, grains, fruit, and honey. All of these are staples that could have been gathered fairly easily.

Today we move to an ingredient that was not just found and collected. Wine and vinegar had to be processed. Someone had to learn how to take grapes and convert them into wine. (Beer was also an early, maybe even earlier, fermented drink using grains.) And as some of us know, wine left too long can become vinegar.

Fermenting products may have, like cheese or yeast, have been the result of a pleasant accident. Or some ingenious person may have experimented and discovered the benefit of adding sugar and yeast to crushed grapes or grains. Left alone for the right amount of time, this became a refreshing drink that made you feel good. An added advantage was that it could be drunk even when or if the water supply was tainted.

There are many references to wine in the Bible. The first instance is after the Flood. Noah drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent (Genesis 9:21). A few generations later, Lot’s daughters use wine to make their father drunk. (Genesis 19:32-35).

Wine was used for entertaining, just as it is today. Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house when they are killed. (Job 1:13) Esther invites the King and his advisor Haman to a banquet that included wine. At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!" (Esther 5:6)

There are warnings against excesses of wine in Proverbs and other places. Some people made the choice not to partake of wine. For instance, when Daniel was taken into the king’s household as one of the young Jewish captives, the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of [that time] they might serve before the king. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:5-16)

In the New Testament, wine is important. The first miracle Jesus performs in changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana. It is the story I used in A Sampler of Bible Beauty to introduce wine as an ingredient. The miracle amazes the steward of the feast. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" (John 2:9-10)

Jesus warns against putting new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37) Several of his parables relate to wine or the growing of grapes. During the Last Supper, the symbolism of the wine of Passover is changed. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many, he says. (Matthew 26:28 and Mark 14:24)

When on the cross, Jesus is offered sour wine, mixed with myrrh, a standard pain killing remedy. When Pentecost occurs, some of the bystanders mocking said, "They are full of new wine." (Acts 2:13) Paul advises Timothy to use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. (1 Timothy 5:23)

Vinegar is also mentioned in the Bible. Women of the Bible used it for flavoring. Ruth is urged, by Boaz, to “dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. (Ruth 2:14)

Proverbs notes that vinegar can exacerbate pain or irritation. Like vinegar on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. (Proverbs 25:20 ) or As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him. (Proverbs 10:26)

Whether accidental or planned, the fermentation of grapes, grains and other ingredients into an alcohol was a fortunate advance. Women (and men) soon found many uses for the new product. And when it soured to vinegar, it was still useful for seasoning and cleaning. It could even be flavored with fruit and herbs.

In this COVIDtide (a phrase coined by Mark VanKoevering, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington) some breweries have turned to making hand sanitizer rather than beer. From small local ones  to major giants like Anheuser Busch companies are stepping up to help produce this much needed product. It's yet another way individuals and companies are helping one another during this time.

You can even make your own sanitizer. All you need is rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel (to make it the normal gel consistence). One recipe suggests a 2/1 ratio of alcohol to aloe vera. You can add essential oils for scent if you want. There are lots of other recipes online on sites like Pinterest if you are interested in trying this. (Note: You cannot use beer or wine or rum that you might have in your cupboard because the alcohol content has to be at least 60% according to the CDC.)

Meanwhile, you can make a facial with some wine, tea leaves, and honey, or flavor some vinegar for your salads.

Rhoda’s Red Wine Facial

1 tablespoon red wine
1 tablespoon green tea leaves, powdered
1 teaspoon honey

Grind tea leaves into a powder, stir in wine and honey. Apply to face, leave on for 15-20 minutes, rinse off.

Jemimah’s Flavored Vinegars

Marinate herbs or fruit in vinegar to make different flavors to augment salads. Whole raspberries, blueberries, figs, oranges, and pears make delicious vinegars. Herbs like thyme, tarragon, or oregano flavor vinegar nicely. Use the whole sprig of the herb, not the ground or leaf herb, which will result in cloudy vinegar.



More recipes and stories of women of the Bible are found in A Sampler of Bible Beauty by CynthiaDavis. 

Epiphany: Bless

So far in our Epiphany series about the disciplines of the Way of Love, we have found that Learning is more than just discovering an answer. Our instructions on how we Go out into the world are part of our baptismal call as beloved members of God’s family.

This week we consider the idea of what it means to Bless. Interestingly the word Bless comes from the Old English words blēdsian, blētsian. The root of these is blōd: ‘blood’. How can the word ‘bless’ be related to ‘blood’? Miriam Webster suggests that it comes from the use of blood in consecration as referenced in Leviticus 8. “So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.” Of course, the use of blood in sacrifice and worship is found throughout ancient history, including at the Cross.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he reminds that church that their Blessings is found in, “the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both [Jews and Gentiles] into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” (Ephesians 2:13-14)

Current usage of the word Bless has lost that original connection with blood and sacrifice. We now say that we Bless someone by asking for God to ‘look favorably on’ them, or to praise God, or to give thanks. The word may also be used in a more lighthearted way when we say, “Bless her little heart” or “bless my soul”. We might comment that someone was a Blessing or that we were able to Bless someone by giving money or helping out.

The Gospel for this Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary tells of a blessing that came to a young couple. We hear that “there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” Then social catastrophe: “the wine gave out.” This was a great embarrassment. and “the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’

Despite her son’s response, “His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (This mosaic at the National Shrine of St. John Paul II by Fr. Marko Rupnik shows all the players at The wedding at Cana).

We learn that “there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it.”

The servants must have been a little concerned as they watched the steward taste the wine. After all they knew that it was only water in the jars. They must have breathed a sigh of amazement and relief when “the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:1-11)

I wonder whether I would have been as quick to obey the request of a wedding guest. The first request wasn’t so out of the ordinary, the second one was very strange. These servants did what they were told.

We too may feel that we are asked to do something that is unusual for and by God. We are often tempted to think we must have all the proper things before we try something new in a ministry, or in life. In the Life for Leaders blog post on January 14, Roy Goble asks, “Have you ever achieved 100 percent of what you attempted as a leader? Your failure to do that doesn’t mean you should attempt less however—it means you should attempt more!” He notes, “Most leadership begins as inspiration…If you’re not aiming too high—both at work and as a disciple—you might be missing out.”

Goble points to the story of David and Goliath to make his point. David used the simple slingshot and rock to kill the giant. His faith-filled action Blessed the army of Israel with victory.

Using the simple ingredient of water, Jesus blessed the newly married couple at Cana. The gathering was blessed with the ‘best wine’. Jordan Ware notes in the January 17 d365 meditation, “This text says that it wasn’t just any water that he turned into wine, but water used for Jewish cleansing rituals before offering prayers and sacrifices. The wine that was offered, then, was not just for celebration, but for preparing the people to worship God. God’s abundance prepares our hearts for worship, and makes us ready to offer sacrifices, confident that through this abundance, we will never go thirsty.” We could also say, “God’s abundance prepares our hearts for worship, and makes us ready to BLESS, confident that through God’s Blessing, we will never go thirsty.” 

In his ministry, Jesus called unlikely disciples (fishermen) and used everyday things to Bless those in need. God continues to ask us to Bless our world using the things we have on hand. God invites us to use our talents, our time, our hearts to Bless each other and to break “down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.”

What ordinary thing in your life does God want to use to Bless those around you?

Has God asked you to do something that seems, on the surface, to not make sense?

What water jars are you being asked to fill so that the new wine can Bless others?