Wine Yeast: Yeast cultured especially for winemaking, with such desirable attributes a as high alcohol tolerance, firmer sediment formation, and less flavor fluctuation. Wine yeasts are usually obtained from a winemaking/brewing specialty shop or by mail order. See entry for Yeast on starting a culture before adding to must.
Yeast: A unicellular bacteria, principally of the genus Saccharomyces, capable of fermenting carbohydrates. Before adding yeast to a liquor or must to initiate active fermentation, it should be "started." After mixing the primary ingredients, but before adding crushed Campden tablet or other sterilizing compound to the must, set aside one cup of the liquor or juice into which the yeast nutrient (or energizer) is dissolved. Add 1/2 to one tsp. yeast, stir gently, and allow to sit, covered with a clean towel or cloth, in a warm place. Allow the culture to "bloom" (grow) a total of 24 hours since adding Campden to the must. Then add this cup of yeast culture to the must, stir and cover, and allow the yeast to "do its thing."
Yeast Energizer: An extraordinary nutrient, energizer is useful when making wines of high alcoholic content (over 14%) and to restart fermentation when the secondary fermentation seems "stuck." Yeast energizer contains many ingredients not found in normal nutrient, such as Riboflavin and Thiamine. The energizer is best used by dissolving 1/2 tsp. in 1/2 to 1 cup of the liquor before adding. If the fermentation is truly "stuck" and not simply run out, the energizer may be dissolved in 1/4 cup liquor and 1/2 cup warm (75 degrees F.) water and a pinch of fresh wine yeast added and allowed to bloom under cover over a 12-hour period. An additional 1/4 cup of liquor is then added and the yeast given another 12 hours to multiply before the enriched solution is adding to the fermentation bottle.
http://www.tommoney.com/wine_ter.htm
Hab.2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
dub deals with the symbol of leaven as a puffing up agent. wine as a symbol makes a man proud
Romans 14:13, 21
luke 1:15 - John the Baptist was told not to drink wine. (So he would not have been able to take a WWCG passover and by extension never be in the KOG, because Christ said that everyone who wants eternal life must partake of his body and blood. John _:__)
How does the Passover service conducted at the COGSM differ from other COG groups?
The order of the service is Footwashing, UB, unfermented wine, and closing hymn.
The difference is we use unfermented wine (grape Juice) instead of fermented wine to symbolize the blood of Christ. WHY? Are we trying to make a name for ourselves among the cog by being different? No, we sincerely believe that unferment wine also know as grape juice is a better symbol of Christ's blood for passover than fermented wine. And in this sermon we will look at what the Bible says on the subject.
Back in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and into the 70's God's church observed Pentecost on Monday. God showed Mr. Armstrong and leading men in Pasadena that they had miscounted Pentecost during those years. The work in those days experienced double digit growth in many areas. After the change the numbers went down, but the quality of the spiritual growth increased.
Now getting back to the subject at hand - -
Some might say "Well surely the Bible says to use wine." Where? Where does it say to use fermented wine? or as we in Missouri say "Show Me."
There are 5 places in the Bible where the passover as conducted by Christ is recorded. Mat, Mark, luke, John, and I Cor. Surely we should be able to find the word wine there.
John only mentions the footwashing. I Cor.'s mentions a cup. Matt. 26:26-30 - fruit of the vine Mark. 14:22-26 - fruit of the vine Luke. 22:15-20 - fruit of the vine I Cor 11:25-26 - cup
The cup of course contains a liquid. They are instructed to drink it. A liquid that Christ himself identifies as fruit of the vine. (later go back and look at when he will drink it again and relate it to him being a king and us becoming kings and priests.)
Have you ever stopped to ask what is this term fruit of the vine.
If the cup contains oinos - fermented wine, why not just use that word?
3631. oinos oy'-nos a primary word (or perhaps of Hebrew origin (3196)); "wine" (literally or figuratively):--wine (Thayer Lexicon states that oinos can also mean must or new wine)
fruit of the vine in greek is not oinos but rather gennema ampelos - offspring or produce of a vine.
What is the offspring of the vine that you can put in a cup. juice or wine correct? Remember that wine is just fermented juice.
1081. gennema ghen'-nay-mah from 1080; offspring; by analogy, produce (literally or figuratively):--fruit, generation.
288. ampelos am'-pel-os probably from the base of 297 and that of 257; a vine (as coiling about a support):--vine.
When you hold a grape in your hand and press on it what comes out? Alcoholic wine? Grape juice? We would all agree it would be grape juice.
Notice Gen.40:9-11,21 - - Pharoah is served the unfermented wine
So is that why we use unfermented wine - because a servant squeezed grapes into pharoahs cup?
What does the cup at the passover represent? The shed blood of Christ!
Some might ask "Don't you know this is the symbol of Christ's blood we are dealing with?" I sure know that was my thought when first appraoched on this issue. And I also know that when I first turned to the gospels I was suprised to see it say fruit of the vine instead of wine. So let's look at the blood of Christ.
Ex.12:3,5-11 there is no mention of a cup or of footwashing found here. But we see a lamb without blemish (hebrew 8549 -tamiym {taw-meem'} - complete, whole, entire, sound check Ecc.9:13 what make a man whole - keeping the commandments, bring a doer of the law - Christ did that) being sacrificed with its blood being put on the doorposts. What does this have to do with Christ? Notice in John 1:29 and 36 and also I Cor. 5:8.
Christ takes the place of the OT lamb. And what about His blood is so special?
Eph.1:7 - how are we redeemed? I Peter 1:19. I John 1:7-9
Acts 20:28 - it purchases His church - the church he gave his symbols to regarding his sinless (complete, whole, without spot or blemish) body AND BLOOD!
What liquid substance can picture the sinless, whole, complete blood of Christ. Unfermented wine - grape juice can. It is a complete, whole liquid substance when squeezed - nothing must be added to make it ready to drink. Some may want to add sugar to make it sweeter, but that is NOT necessary in order to drink it.
Is there a difference between unfermented wine and fermented wine? Couldn't they be the same thing? Not according to Gen. 49:11 - wine is 3196 yayin yah'-yin from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).
blood is 1818 dam dawm from 1826 (Compare 119); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), + innocent. So here blood is a biblical term for juice.
Notice also Deut.32:14 Pure blood (juice) of the grapes. the term pure means fermented.
As the NKJV puts it you drank wine, the blood of the grape - translation - fermented juice of the grape. Do notice what happened when they misused the things God granted to them? They turned away from God.
In the New Testament blood in the greek is 129. haima hah'-ee-mah of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.
Is Christ's blood in the cup literal or figurative. The liquid in the cup REPRESENTs His Blood NOT IS His blood. That is what the catholics teach - that the sacriments supernaturally turn into the actual blood and body of Christ. And further Christ said drink ye all of it. In the Cathoilc church lay members are given only the bread and NOT the cup.
The juice of the grape represents Christ blood! But the question remains is that a fermented or unfermented juice?
Let's look at this process called fermentation. Here are some quotes off on online encyclopedia on the subject.
Fermentation typically refers to the conversion of sugar to alcohol using yeast
The primary benefit of fermentation is the conversion, e.g., converting juice into wine, grains into beer, and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide to leaven bread.
Induce fermentation by introducing a yeast culture. Never allow wild yeast (that would include the yeast in the air) to ferment the wine naturally as this can ruin the fermentation (fresh grape juice left to sit will turn to vinegar)
In the absence of oxygen, fermentative yeasts produce their energy by converting sugars into carbon dioxide and ethanol (alcohol). In brewing, the ethanol is bottled, while in baking the carbon dioxide raises the bread, and the ethanol evaporates.
Ethanol fermentation (done by yeast and some types of bacteria) breaks the pyruvate down into ethanol and carbon dioxide. It is important in bread-making, brewing, and wine-making. Usually only one of the products is desired; in bread the alcohol is baked out, and in alcohol production the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
The most commonly used yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which was domesticated for wine, bread, and beer production thousands of years ago.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of budding yeast. It is perhaps the most important yeast thanks to its use since ancient times in baking and brewing.
The same yeast, in ancient times, thousands of years ago was used for baking and brewing!
Does it make sense that Christ would use unfermented bread to represent His body and use a fermented juice to represent his blood. And what is written in the Bible about Christ in Ps.16:10 and Acts 2:27,31 and Acts 13:34-38 His shed blood allows our sins to be forgiven.
Why is unfermented grape juice better that fermented grape juice for use in the passover.
unfermented grape juice better represents his blood because it has not undergone the corruption of fermentation. It is no longer is the natura,l whole, complete blood of the grape.
We think of bread as being a loaf of bread like you would buy in a store. But that is not how the Bible defines bread.
Artos 740
1) food composed of flour mixed with water and baked
a) the Israelites made it in the form of an oblong or round cake, as thick as one's thumb, and as large as a plate or platter hence it was not to be cut but broken.
Naturally unleavened unless a leavening agent is added to produce fermentation. Then it is a leaven bread like we would buy in the store. Example is Ezekiel bread in EZE 4:9 - no mention of a leavening agent - - yet it is called bread.
Now having seen some of what the Bible says about the issue - Let's look at why the cog has not used unfermented wine. In the Ambassador College Bible Correspondents Course issue #33 it states:
3. Was the wine to SYMBOLICALLY represent HIS BLOOD which was to be shed for the forgiveness of past sins? Mat. 26:28-29. How can we know "the fruit of the VINE" Jesus used was wine and NOT grape juice?
COMMENT: We can know that the fruit of the vine" which Jesus gave His disciples was truly FERMENTED WINE, not unfermented GRAPE JUICE! Grape juice could not at that time be preserved until spring. It either became wine, about 40 days following the harvest, or else the grape juice was made into a heavy syrup.
This was not syrup!
Any knowledge of the practices of the Jewish community during the days of Jesus will reveal that FERMENTED WINE was used EXCLUSIVELY at the Passover (Hasting's Dictionary, art. "Wine").
When you look at GTA site and David Pack site and other sites they will refer you to Hastings Bible Dictionary. At an online bookstore it stated that this book has been used for the past one hundred years. Do you know what this tells me on a personal level? That any discoveries made between then and now have not been included. Modern Bible scholars now say that preserving grape juice in an unfermented state was possible during that time.
In fact if you look at the writings of Josephus you will find the following: the country of Gennesaret furnished with the best grapes and figs for ten months without intermission, and the rest of fruits throughout the whole year. Figs and pomegranates, the spies brought with them when they returned from searching the land, as well as grapes, are a specimen of the fruits of it. URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/h005.htm
Notice the account in Numbers 13:23 - 27. This cluster of grapes was preserved for up to 40 days without spoiling. History on agricultural methods says that when a branch was cut, if pitch was applied immediately the grapes would last. When the Romans took over Messada they found fruit, including grapes, that had been stored there for several years. And they reported that the fruit was still edible and did not taste old at all.
Here is a little more on the country of Gennesaret:
Gennesaret ("a garden of riches") was a town of Naphtali, called "Chinnereth" (Joshua 19:35), sometimes in the plural form "Chinneroth" (Joshua 11:2). In later times the name was gradually changed to Genezareth, Genezar and Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). This city stood on the northwestern shore of the lake to which it gave its name. No trace of it remains. It is the namesake of the "Plain of Gennesaret" has been called, from its fertility and beauty, “the Paradise of Galilee.”
The Sea of Galliee is known as the sea of Chinnereth. Jesus of Nazareth was very familiar with that area. He performs many miracles in that region and undoublty knew of Gennesaret and it's fruit.
The passover as kept by the Jews today and in Jesus' day is from rabinical tradition not God's command. This year the days of the week fall just as they did in Jesus's day.
Thursday of the week will be the high day mentioned in John 19:31 - the first day of unleavened bread.
Wednesday evening is when the OT passover meal is to be eaten. For Jews this will be the night of the sedar meal which has been expanded over the years from the eating of UB, roasted herbs and lamb into what they have today. I have even seen some sedar meals where turkey is permitted to be used instead of lamb.
Christ instituted the NT passover, the one of which Paul refers to in Corinthians, on Tuesday evening, So that on Wed he could fulfill what the OT passover lamb pictured.
Many people have assumed that Christ partook of the third of four cups of fermented wine when he blessed it and gave it to the disciples. Christ took the passover one evening early and told us to do the same. He was not partaking in a man made sedar meal. He was revealing the true symbols of His sinless, non corrupted body and blood!
Paul in ICor. 10:16 calls the cup a cup of blessing. We know from what we have seen that the liquid contents of the cup represent the blood of Christ. With that in mind look at Isa.65:8
8492 tiyrowsh tee-roshe' or tiyrosh {tee-roshe'}; from 3423 in the sense of expulsion; must or fresh grape-juice (as just squeezed out); by implication (rarely) fermented wine:--(new, sweet) wine
What can we conlude from this - unferment wine is found in the cluster of grapes, there is a blessing upon the cluster and there is a blessing on the contents of the cup used at Christ's passover. Clearly the bible is showing a direct relation between unfermented grape juice and the contents of the passover cup.
Notice also in Judges another reference to unfermented grape juice - Judges 9:13
If you look at Deut 24:5 you will see that the same word for cheereth is translated bring happiness. cheereth - 8055 - to brighten up - make glad - have or make joy - cause to or make to rejoice. Unfermented grape juice brings happiness and joy to both God and man.
Doesn't having our sins forgiven by Christ's shed blood bring us happiness? It should. And each year we partake of the symbols and renew our commitment that we made at baptism to Him.
Finally there two more important reasons that the cup contained unfermented wine over fermented wine. Lev 10: 9 What is the tabernacle of meeting:
The Tabernacle is known in Hebrew as the Mishkan ( îùëï "Place of [Divine] dwelling"). It was to be a portable central place of worship for the Hebrews from the time they left ancient Egypt following the Exodus, through the time of the Book of Judges when they were engaged in conquering the land of Canaan, until the time its elements were made part of the final Temple in Jerusalem about the 10th century BC.
What does the NT say in Mat. 18:20 - In effect when we come together as it says to do for the passover in I Cor.11:20,33 and Heb. 10:25 that is Christ's dwelling place his tabernacle. And no fermented wine or stronger drink is to be drunk in that place.
Finally take a look at John 18:33-37 and we know from Revelation that he is King of Kings. Notice Isa 9:6-7. God has recorded a scripture in Proverbs that pertains to kings Pro.31:4-5 Christ would not have chosen a fermented wine to be the symbol of His blood. It says fermented wine clouds the judgement of a king. Luke 22:29-30.
Brethren we are to use unfermented wine also known as grape juice for the representation of His whole, blemishless, uncorrupted blood. Not because we choose it, but because that is what God reveals when put the scriptures together on the subject.