Forbidden Wine

When Jesus was led to Golgotha to be crucified, Mark records that He was offered wine mixed with myrrh, a bitter narcotic intended to dull the senses and relieve pain (Mark 15:23). This practice was well-known in both Roman and Jewish tradition. Romans sometimes gave sedatives to condemned men as an act of mercy, while the Talmud mentions Jewish women offering such mixtures in fulfillment of Proverbs 31:6-7, which speaks of giving strong drink to those in distress.

However, the Gospels note that Jesus refused this drink. Matthew explains that when He tasted it, He would not drink (Matthew 27:34). Why would the Lord decline relief in His darkest hour?

First, this refusal shows His determination to face suffering with full awareness. Jesus came to "drink the cup" of suffering that the Father had given Him (John 18:11). To accept a drugged wine would have been to lessen the burden He was sent to bear for the sins of the world. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9). That "taste" was not diluted–it was complete.

Second, His refusal preserved His ability to speak with clarity from the cross. Jesus uttered words of forgiveness (Luke 23:34), prophecy (John 19:26-27), and final surrender to the Father (Luke 23:46). A narcotic cloud would have diminished the power and purpose of these sayings, which continue to instruct and comfort believers today.

Finally, while there was no Mosaic Law prohibiting the condemned from drinking wine, there is a priestly principle at work. Priests were forbidden wine when ministering before God (Leviticus 10:9). As the High Priest offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 7:26-27), Jesus chose the path of sobriety and clarity, keeping His mind fixed on the holy work He was accomplishing.

In refusing the wine, Jesus demonstrated that our salvation was purchased without shortcuts. He bore the cross fully awake, fully conscious, and fully committed. His example calls us to follow Him with the same sober devotion–enduring trials without compromise, trusting that God's strength is sufficient in our weakness.