The best I’ve ever read on the resurrection on the third day. Clears up a lot of misconceptions people have due to a western way of interpreting the “three days and three nights” in Matthew. Thanks for such an informative post.
I do wish, however, since you dealt with just about everything at length having to do with this issue, you had dealt with why grape juice, instead of wine, was used at the Passover meal. It seems grape juice, representing Christ’s sinless blood, would be more in accord with the unleavened bread that represented his sinless body.
Those who believe it should be wine, have their reasons for doing so - one of which: grapes from the previous fall’s harvest would have fermented and become wine, or new wine, by Passover observance in the springtime. They could hardly have used grape juice, as it would have no longer been grape juice.
Grape skins are covered with wild yeast. As soon as the grape skin is broken and the juice comes in contact with the skin, fermentation commences.
The least of which is the fact that Jesus used wine.
Thanks.
As for the wine. Wine was drank more than juice, because of the very fact as you mentioned, no refrigeration. Thus the time would result in normal juice becoming fermented over time.
As for strength, I will not delve into that except to point out Jesus first miracle turning water to wine. Of such quality that it was mentioned how the best wine is usually served first while everyone is sober and and less quality wine last when everyone is inebriated and wouldn’t notice.
Yet the praise was for the best quality wine being served last. Thus pointing out how good and strong the wine was that Jesus made even though no one knew he made it from water but those serving it, Jesus, and his mother Mary.
Drinking wine for Christ would not have been a problem. Especially during the feast since wine was a normal staple of the Passover feast, and Jesus was not one to drink more than was needed to have with a meal.