Topical Bible: The Eye: Made Red by Wine

◄ The Eye: Made Red by Wine ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the eye being made red by wine is a vivid image found in the Bible, symbolizing the effects of excessive drinking and its moral and spiritual implications. This imagery is primarily drawn from the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, where it serves as a cautionary illustration of the dangers of overindulgence.

Biblical References

The primary reference to eyes being made red by wine is found in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs 23:29-30 states: "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, those who go to taste mixed drinks." This passage is part of a larger section warning against the pitfalls of drunkenness, highlighting the physical and emotional toll it takes on individuals.

Symbolism and Interpretation

In biblical literature, the eye often symbolizes perception, insight, and moral clarity. When the eye is described as being made red by wine, it suggests a distortion of these faculties. The redness of the eye is a physical manifestation of the internal chaos and lack of discernment that accompanies intoxication. It serves as a metaphor for impaired judgment and the loss of self-control, which are recurrent themes in biblical teachings on sobriety and temperance.

The redness of the eye can also be seen as a sign of shame and disgrace. In the cultural context of the Bible, maintaining one's honor and reputation was of utmost importance. The visible effects of excessive drinking, such as bloodshot eyes, would have been seen as a public display of one's moral failings and lack of discipline.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons

The Bible consistently warns against the dangers of excessive drinking, not only for its physical consequences but also for its spiritual ramifications. Drunkenness is often associated with a departure from wisdom and righteousness. Ephesians 5:18 advises, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." This contrast highlights the biblical call to seek spiritual fulfillment and clarity through a relationship with God, rather than through temporary and destructive means.

The image of the eye made red by wine serves as a powerful reminder of the need for moderation and self-control. It underscores the importance of maintaining a clear mind and a pure heart, free from the influences that can lead one astray. The Bible encourages believers to exercise discernment and to avoid the pitfalls of excess, which can cloud judgment and hinder one's spiritual journey.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near Eastern context, wine was a common beverage, often consumed in social and religious settings. While the Bible does not condemn the moderate use of wine, it clearly delineates the line between moderation and excess. The warnings against drunkenness found in the Scriptures reflect a broader cultural understanding of the potential for wine to lead to moral and social decay when consumed irresponsibly.

The imagery of the eye made red by wine would have resonated with the original audience of the biblical texts, serving as a stark visual reminder of the consequences of overindulgence. It is a timeless warning that continues to speak to the importance of living a life marked by wisdom, self-control, and spiritual awareness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 49:12
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 23:29
Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The vineyard of the Lord
... He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. ... admonition given through
the prophets who have made plain His ... Sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/the vineyard of the lord.htm

Antichrist.
... is resolved not to be guided by the eye of a ... churches desolations, so now shall he
lie also made a desolation. ... of his tasks, of his pride, of the Red sea, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiii antichrist.htm

Book vii. On the Useful or the Ordinary
... which came teams of four, with horses of red, black, white ... impious; in the psalm:
since he has made the bolts ... the gospel: first pull the beam from your own eye. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/book vii on the useful.htm

The Portrait of a Drunkyard
... 'When it is red' might perhaps ... 'The lust of the eye' soon fans ... of intoxication, in
which the disgusting and the ludicrous aspects of it are both made prominent ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the portrait of a drunkyard.htm

The King and his Armies.
... "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him ... ere nature's birth; And
thou hast made it thine by ... Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the king and his armies.htm

Striking Similes
... He spoke with a uniformity of emphasis that made his words stand out like the raised
type for ... Swifter than the twinkling of an eye. ... Your blood is red like wine. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section viii striking similes.htm

The Providence of God
... Sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.' Isaiah 27:7 ... God made the Egyptians send
away the people of Israel laden ... The church is the apple of God's eye, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/14 the providence of god.htm

Evil Habits and Injurious Indulgences.
... Look not thou on the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color ... A tea made of
tobacco and applied to the skin has caused death in ... The eye of God is upon us. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter xiv evil habits and.htm

The Goodness of the Son of God is Proved from his Works...
... their pursuers, suddenly opened the tide of the Red Sea, an ... nor the stream of human
life is made for nought? ... His goodness, Who hath given us what "eye hath not ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ii the goodness of.htm

A Discourse
... O their smell, their scent, it hath been 'as the wine of Lebanon' (Hosea 14:5-7 ... might
call it light, the true light was darkened, and so the eye made dim, even ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm