The Wine of the Bible, of Bible Lands, and of the Lord's Supper [pp. 564-595]

8The Wine of the Bible,
closed by pieces of bladder firmly tied over the mouth, in a few
weeks acquires the strength and flavor which would be imparted
to it only by several years' preservation in the ordinary way.
Now, it is probable that the leather bags in which these wines
are put would produce a similar effect upon the liquor, which,
after the process of fermentation had ceased, would soon attain
its complete and appropriate alcoholic character.' (Prof. Silli man, Amer. Jour of Science and Arts, 1834, quoted by Kitto
on Psal. lxxv. 8).
"'The wine was generally contained in large ox-skins ranged
round the store-room, and quite distended with liquor. The
larger skins seem to have answered to casks; the smaller goat
and kid skins, to barrels and kegs in the comparison, to be
chiefly used in conveying to customers the smallest quantities required. Individuals rarely keep large stores of wine in their
houses, but get a small supply of a goat-skin or two from the
wine-store. This seems also to have been the case with the
ancient Jews, for Nehemiah, although holding the rank of
governor, had no store of wine, for we read he had a supply of
wine every ten days (Neh. v. 18). The large skins in the winestore we have mentioned are supported above the floor on frames
of wood' (Kitto on Job xxxii. 19). Similar methods of storing
and keeping wine were common to the Greeks and Romans.
"III. Now what is the teaching of the Scriptures in respect
to the USE of wine?-They make no distinction between intoxicating and non-intoxicating wines-never allude or refer to such
a distinction. Yet wine, OF yayin - o'vog, is constantly spoken
of in precisely the same way that corn, and oil, and milk are
spoken of, namely, as a blessing sent by God for the use of man.
It was enjoined to be used in the service of God. It is employed as a symbol of the highest spiritual blessings (Is. lv.
1, 2). The use of it was common among the Jews, as it is
among the people of all wine-producing countries. It was forbidden to the Nazarites alone, and that only while tinder their
vow. The use of it is in one case distinctly prescribed by Paul
to Timothy (1 Tim. v. 23). Jesus Christ came'drinking
wine' as well as' eating bread' (Luke vii. 33, 34), and in one
instance miraculously produced a supply of wine when it was
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