Some thoughts on Wine and Common Latter Day Saint Beliefs
As some members say when they read passages that mention "wine", or while they explain the importance of the Word of Wisdom, most church members say that "Jesus and the apostles could not have drunk wine but grape juice" and I think that you should stop telling this to people. this is not only not helpful in explaining the Word of Wisdom but you give your own personal beliefs infused to the Scriptures rather than the Scriptures telling you what it means. When the Scriptures use "wine", that does not mean "non-alcoholic" or simply grape juice that is pressed freshly from the winepress. fermentation existed at those times so they had alcoholic wine; so don't go around telling everyone that "alcoholic drinks" did not existed at that time. In the Ancient Near East, wine is made by crushing grapes with bare feet and when the fermentation process begins, yeast/leaven (and also called "fermenting dough") is used for speeding the fermentation process; that is made out of a mixture of flour and water that is left to develop it's fermenting qualities. And in the New Testament, the Greek word οἶνος (oinos) is used that we translate as "wine" and this always mean "alcoholic" in nature (see. BDAG, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature [Chicago IL: Chicago University Press, 2000]). Wine could not have also been used as medicine if it is not alcoholic, e.g the alcoholic properties of wine is used for healing wounds together with oil, as we see in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:34), and wine is also present in the Last Supper as this is included in the Passover meal (Seder). the Eerdman's Bible Dictionary states the following on the use of "wine" and it's alcoholic nature:
“ There is no biblical evidence that wine ever consisted of unfermented grape juice. When such juice is mentioned (cf. Gen. 40:10-11) it is never called wine. Occasionally the Bible refers to ‘new wine’ (Heb. tiros; Mic. 6:15; KJV, Isa. 65:8; cf. Acts 2:13; Gk. gleukos), but this too was fermented and could intoxicate (Hos. 4:11; the LXX always translates tiros with Gk. oinos ‘wine’). New wine refers to the first drippings from the vat; it was purer, and because of its higher sugar content fermented into a more substantial drink. Wine could be graded in this manner (cf. the Cana wedding, where the steward is conscious of quality; John 2:10).“At his final Passover supper with his followers Jesus makes this connection explicit: ‘This (wine) is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many’ ” (Mark 14:24 par.)” (Eerdman’s Bible Dictionary, [Grand Rapids Mi: Eerdmans,1989], 1058.).
We should also remember that the Word of Wisdom is a modern revelation that is not binding in prior dispensations; and light and knowledge unfold "line upon line, precept upon precept". What we could use as examples in following the Word of Wisdom is how God's people have followed the dietary laws that was revealed at their time by the Lord; e.g dietary laws in the Old Testament and Daniel and his friends refusing the King's food that was offered to them (Dan. 1:8-16) where this meal includes those that were forbidden in the Levitical law. saying that they could have drunk "grape juice" is not one of them and it twist what the Scriptures say. Drunkenness was surely forbidden in the Bible but there was no specific probhibitions for drinking alcoholic drinks like wine at that period of time. since the Lord had given us the Word of Wisdom, alcoholic drinks should not be consumed by a church member.
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