What does it mean that wine is a mocker (Proverbs 20:1)?

If one will pay serious attention to warnings, then he is ready to receive encouragement. Verse 1 is a plain warning. While "a little wine" may be beneficial for one's stomach (1 Tim. 5:23), yet when it is indulged in simply because a person likes it, it becomes "a mocker" (v. 1). turning the drinker into a brawler. His lack of wisdom in this may lead him badly astray, as great number have learned by experience.

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whoso errs thereby is not wise. "The terror of a king is as a lion's roaring; he that provokes him to anger sins against his own soul. "It is for a man's honour to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will rush in. "The slothful will not plow by reason of the winter: in harvest shall he beg and have nothing. "Counsel in man's heart [is] deep water; and a man of understanding draws it out. "Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who can find? "A righteous one walks in his integrity: blessed [are] his children after him." vv. 1-7.

There is no creature of God which has not an important place if used aright. But men blind to His will seek their pleasure heedlessly, and are thus enticed to open sin and grievous hurt. This is eminently the case with wine and strong drink; the one deceives, the other maddens. The warnings are so many and evident on every side, that such as err thereby have only to blame their own folly and self-will.

PSALMS. 60:3. — Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. 75:8. — And the wine is red. 78:65. — A mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. 104:15. — And _wine [that]_ maketh glad the heart of man.

PROVERBS. 4:17. — For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 9:2. — She hath mingled her wine. — Drink of the wine [which] I have mingled. 20:1. — wine is a mocker.* 21:17. — He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 23:20. — Be not among wine-bibbers. — They that tarry long at the wine. — Look not thou at the wine when it is red.† 31:4. — Not for kings to drink wine. — And wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

It has been said that yayin and shekar have a generic sense so as to include unfermented liquors. But our text shows the contrary. In the strong sententious style of the book, a caution is given about wine; not a hint drops about a particular sort. "Yayin is a mocker, shekar is raging." Most Teetotallers who cite or reason on it, alter the phrase to "the 'wine' which is 'a mocker."' This obviously perverts the meaning. The passage warns against being deceived by any wine or strong drink. Vague terms as these are said to be, and, quite unrestricted seem inconsistent with the hypothesis. On the other hand, the warning agrees well with these two words, if they are the general terms for the fermented liquors of the grape, and of other fruit or grain, known in ancient times. And such is precisely the definition of them given by the most unbiased and the best judges.

We are warned against the free use of stimulants. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).

Proverbs of warning and instructions as to personal conduct are found mostly in this chapter; a number of them are of special interest if applied to Solomon. The first one is concerning wine and strong drink. As the use of wine among the people of Israel was legitimate the warning is against intemperance (Deut. 14:26). The Bible gives many illustrations of the truth of this proverb-warning. We may think of Noah, Lot, Nabal, Ben-hadad, Belshazzar and others.

Of all the lusts of the flesh, none from first to last exposes so much to shame and grief as intoxication. Others may be fatally ruinous to oneself or to our partners, but this is more stupefying, insensate, and disposed alike to folly and violence. "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?" The question is readily answered: "They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek out (or, try) mixed wine." For intemperance ever seeks more and stronger incentives, till the thirst after them becomes overpowering.

No less wise is the advice given to nip the inclination in the bud. "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles (or, gives its colour) in the cup, when it goes down smoothly (or, moves itself aright)." Resist the beginnings; be not caught by the attractive look. "Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." "The wine of violence" is not the only danger, but the bright and the agreeable also.

Six questions are asked in verse 29, as to who has woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and redness of eyes. If these symptoms are present, it is certain that the sufferer has only himself to blame. He has given himself up to indulging in intoxicating liquor (v. 30). It seems very attractive and enticing (v. 31), not only by its taste, but by its look. However, at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper (v. 32). For it will badly affect the mind and heart, with one's imagination running wild, and perverse words issuing from the mouth, for he has lost control of his senses (v. 33).

The follies too, which are among its results, are so stupid as to expose the victims to derision, as well as to excited feelings and expressions alien to them at ordinary times. "Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter froward things" — conduct which they themselves deplore when sober, hardly believing that they can have committed themselves to such disgrace.

The first point of separation is from wine and strong drink — from all that could intoxicate, or, as is said of wine, "take away the heart." (Hosea 4:11.) Wine stands eminently for that which "maketh glad the heart of man" (Ps. 104:15), by no means of necessity evil, for we are told it "cheereth God and man" (Judges 9:13): God, no doubt, in the drink-offering. It stands therefore for pleasure, which may be spiritual and heavenly, as when (his vow ended) the Nazarite himself drinks it, but here as often for the pleasures of the world which take away the heart from God and from the things of God. Strong drink is that which has still more plainly and decidedly this character.

Wine, the grape, is a figure of human joy and human strength. The ingathering time, when the vintage was gathered and the blood of the grapes burst from the vats, was always connected with festivity and songs and gladness; it was the time of joy. You remember in one of the earlier psalms, the psalmist in faith says, Thou hast put gladness in our heart more than the time when their corn and wine increased. Ah, brethren, it was merely reminding them that said it of the happiest times in nature, the fullest natural joy, and comparing it with a fuller, deeper joy. Wine is the type of human joy. It is just at the crown of the year, when everything is reaching its vintage, when everything is ripe, ready for enjoyment. The time of work is over, the time of rest and pleasure has come. Labour can rest its weary limbs and enjoy the vintage season.

But then wine is a figure, too, of stimulus, that which stimulates natural man; strengthened as with wine, is a common expression; one that shouteth by reason of wine, feeling the blood coursing through his veins, every muscle tense under the stimulus of that which has imparted, alas, a fictitious strength. In that way wine speaks of human joy and human strength.

Our joy comes from a purer spring than the wine vatour strength comes from a mightier source than that which merely stimulates nature. By wine, Scripture means, of course, not the literal, material thing; but it means that which stimulates and stirs up the flesh, whatever it may be. One can be a thorough teetotaller as to the use of wine, and yet be absolutely under its power, spiritually speaking. Everything that simply imparts fleshly energy, fleshly stimulus, or fleshly excitement in the things of God, has got to be eschewed.