And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be ye filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)
Possibly Paul is referring to something quite explicit rather than merely warning against drunkenness, necessary as such warning may have been. Considering the cultural background of first-century Ephesus, it may well be that Paul has in mind the wild, drunken practices connected with the worship of Dionysus or Bacchus, the god of wine.
Dionysus was not an invention of the Greeks, but probably had his origins in Thracia, Lydia, or Phrygia. (The equivalent Lydian name is “Bacchus”.)
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Author: George Booker
Keywords: Dionysus, Orgies, Drunkeness, Drunkenness, Strong drink, Wine, Beer, Drinking parties, Intoxicated, Intoxication, Alcohol, Filled with the spirit, Spirit filled, Bacchus, God of wine, Liquor, Whiskey
Bible reference(s): Ephesians 5:18
Source: “Dionysus,” The Agora.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.