Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled in the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.

Thanks for joining us to discuss biblical teachings on wine and other alcoholic beverages. The first time I became aware of alcohol was at age four. My father had inherited Kahn’s Market from his father, a meat-and-liquor store in South Boston, which was then predominantly Irish.

My family lived in Needham, a Boston suburb, and among my earliest memories are of the time after preschool, when my mother would take me to her job at the family market. I remember sitting on the long, wide counter, chatting with the customers, mostly disheveled-looking working men who smelled of alcohol. At closing, the “paddy wagon” would pick up the drunks outside the store. My dad sold the market after my mother was held up at gunpoint. Fortunately, I was not there, but I heard about it at supper.

Hence, drinking turned me off until I discovered Kahlua and cream at age 15. My best friend and I dressed up to look “mature,” took the trolley to Boston’s Kenmore Square, and were served at the bars without any questions. Then, the drinking age was 21, but it was lowered to 18 when I was 18 because of the Vietnam-era slogan, “old enough to fight, old enough to drink.”

I won’t belabor my high school toilet-hugging experiences with Boone’s Farm Apple wine, but I still can’t drink sweet wine. Enough about my inglorious drinking history!

Perhaps God created fermented drinks to offer humankind a way to relax and celebrate, easing the drudgery and hardship of everyday life. The Bible never says alcohol itself is wrong, but it warns that excessive drinking can lead to regrettable behaviors with lasting consequences. Overindulgence emboldens people to be less modest and to engage in or justify risky activities, which can be........

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