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NOTE: The following was an explanatory note accompanying this material which was sent from Dudley Spears to an e-mail list of which I am a member: "Gary Fisher asked for information on the use of fermented or unfermented wine in communion. Here are notes from the late W. Curtis Porter who debates this issue with J. Ervin Waters."
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The Scriptures teach that an assembly of the church of Christ must use the
unfermented juice of the grape as the drink-element in the communion.
AFFIRMATIVE ARGUMENTS
1. WHAT THE VINE PRODUCES
1. Must use "fruit of the vine". Mt. 26:29; Mk. 14:25
2. Word "Fruit" is from Greek "Gennema," and means "offspring, progeny,"
and "that which has been begotten or born." (Thayer)
3. That which is ',born" of anything, comes forth from that thing.
4. Grape juice is the liquid that is "born of" or "comes forth" from the
grape vine.
5. No grape vine on earth produces an alcoholic or intoxicating drink.
6. Such is not the "fruit of the vine."
ANSWER:
1. The liquid in the "fermented grape juice" was produced by the vine. Hence, it is the "fruit of the vine."
2. Job. 14:1; Mt. 11:11. Man is "born of" or "comes forth from" woman.
a. But no woman on earth produces an intoxicated man.
b. Yet, if he becomes a drunkard from some external cause or influence, he is still the "fruit of woman."
3. What vine ever produced grape juice with "foreign sugar added"? (Waters, page 50)
4. Or: "Boiled to a thick syrup"? (Waters, page 49)
5. Or: "Diluted with water"? (Waters, page 50)
6. What field of grain ever produced a leavened loaf of bread? Is it not therefore the "fruit of the field"???
2. BEAR FRUIT IN CONTACT WITH VINE
l. "The fruit of the vine" is produced on a branch in contact with the vine.
a. Jn. 15:5. "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine."
2. Unfermented juice is produced while in contact with the vine.
a. No branch while in the vine can produce fermented juice. Therefore, such is not the fruit of the vine, but is the fruit and product of fermentation.
ANSWER:
1. The liquid produced by the branch while connected with the vine is still the fruit of the vine, even though both vine and branch are destroyed.
2. The liquid is still there after fermentation'! What produced the
liquid???
3. Waters ("Communion," page 50) says: "We would still have the fruit of the vine if sugar is added." - Why not if leaven is added?
4. If one is "fruit of fermentation, " why not the other the "fruit of
sweetening"???? "
5. Still fruit of vine when reduced to a "thick syrup", and later have
"water added." (Waters "Communion," page 49,,50) - Why would not this be the "fruit of boiling," and the "fruit of dilution"??????
3. NO LEAVEN DURING PASSOVER WEEK
1. Christ instituted Lord's Supper at Passover feast, Mt. 26:17-29.
2. But no leaven was permitted during Passover week:
a. Ex. 12:15 "Ye shall put away leaven out of your houses."
b. Ex. 12:19 "Seven days shall there be no leaven . . . houses."
c. Ex. 12:20 "Ye shall eat nothing leavened."
3. "Leaven" and "fermentation" means the same.
4. Hence, no fermented wine permitted - And Christ used unfermented juice.
ANSWER:
1. Law against leaven had to do with bread - what they ATE, not what they
DRANK.
a. Ex. 12:15 "Whosoever eateth leavened bread shall be cut off."
b, Ex. 12:19 "Whosever eateth that which is leavened...."
c. Ex, 12:20 "EAT" nothing leavend...shall ye eat unleavened bread."
d. Ex. 13;7 "Unleavened bread shall be eaten."
e. Ex, 12:17 Called "feast of unleavened bread"
2. The law made no requirement about drinking grape juce - not even mentioned.
3. But if it was unfermented, Christ made it generic by saying "Fruit of vine," Mt. 26:29
4. Yet fermented element used in "sauce" for the "bitterherbs."
Smith's Bible Dictionary: "According to the Mishma, the bitter herbs (Ex. important articles of food to the ancient Egyptians.
"The sauce into which the herbs, the bread and the meat were dipped as they (Page 693, Article, Passover)
a. Vinegar is result of fermentation: Vinegar: "A sour liquid, used as a condiment or as a preservative, got by fermentation of alcoholic liquids."
(Webster)
b. Greek "Oxos": "Vinegar; the mixture of sour wine or vinegar and water which Roman soldiers were accustomed to drink." (Thayer, p. 449)
4. LEAVEN A SYMBOL OF IMPURITY OR EVIL.
1. Mt. 16:6 "Beware of leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees."
2. Regarding sin of fornication, Paul said, "A little LEAVEN leaveneth the whole lump." 1 Cor. 5:6
3. 1 Cor. 5:8 "The LEAVEN of malice and wickedness." ..
4. Hence, Jesus would not use leaven (Fermentation) to picture his blood.
ANSWER:
1. Lev. 7:13, 23.17; Amos 4:5. Leaven was used in some offerings of O.T.
2. Leaven not always a symbol of wickedness:
a. Mt. 13:33. Jesus used it to picture the kingdom and its influence.
b. Also in Lk. 13:21
5. NATURE AND EFFECTS OF FERMENTED WINE
1. Gen. 49:12 "His eyes shall be red with wine."
2. Prov. 20:1 "Wine is a mocker."
3. Isa. 28:7 "Causes men to err in vision and stumble in judgment."
4. Prov. 23:32 "Biteth like serpent, stingeth like an adder."
5. Prov. 21:17 Brings to poverty
6. Deut. 32:33 :Their wine is the poison of dragons and cruel venom of asps-"
7. Eph. 5:8; 1 Tim. 3:8; Tit. 2:3. "God's people forbidden to drink it.
8. Hence, it cannot be used for communion.
ANSWER:
1. O. T. References have to do with those who give themselves to drink. Such results would not come from the amount taken in communion.
2. Eph. 5:18 forbids drunkeness.
3. 1 Tim. 3:8; Tit. 2:3 condemns being "given" to wine.
4. But using wine for medicine or communion entirely different:
a. 1 Tim. 5:23. Paul told Timothy to drink wine for stomach trouble.
b. Much medicine preserved in alcohol - Would you take it???? If so, then your application of these passages is not true one.
6. SCIENTIFIC CHANGES WROUGHT BY FERMENTATION
1. Waters' tract on "Communion," page 50:
a. "Three constituents of grape juice are completely detroyed."
b. "Seven completely new constitutents appear."
c. "59% of the remaining nine constituents disappear
d. "Grape juice parts with all its gluten and gum."
e. "And about 84% of its sugar and albumen."
f. "It is to these four constituents that the fluid owes its nutritive and life-sustaining qualities and its value as food."
ANSWER:
1. But, in communion, it is not used for its "nutritive" or "food" value!!
2. Nor is it taken to "sustain" physical life.
3. After all the changes occur, the liquid is still the product or "fruit"
of the vine.
