Wine as a Symbol in the Old Testament
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/ROOTS.2024.2.9Keywords:
Drinking wine, Positive Symbol, Negative Symbol, non-compliance with God, Social ordersAbstract
According to archaeology, scriptures, and the Bible, wine is a typical drink in ancient Israel. Wine is a drink and a significant symbol in the Bible that reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israeli society. In this article, I have reviewed research literature on wine drinking, and I will argue that wine is an essential symbol in some literary genres in the Bible. The symbolism of wine can be divided into a few themes of symbolic representation: a positive sign of blessing, A negative symbol of emotions and actions, and an ambivalent symbol of disobedience to God and social order. The choice of wine as a symbol in the Bible as a drink produced in ancient society is considered a gift from God and part of the blessing for the abundance of the land. Excessive use of wine, however, can lead to irresponsible acts. Wine is not a prominent symbol but an enclave whose essence emphasizes the obvious in human life in ancient Israeli society. Combining the archaeological research with literary research in the Bible and non-biblical sources, it will be possible to form a better picture of ancient Israeli culture if we remember that there is a bias in the excavated areas and the biased writing of biblical writers in time, place, and purpose. This is an opportunity to peek into the depths of ancient Israeli society's culture and understand its arrangements and power relations.
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