Bird's-eye view
This pithy proverb delivers a sharp and memorable warning against the abuse of alcohol. It does not, as some have mistakenly argued, prohibit the use of alcohol altogether. The Bible is full of wine, both as a blessing from God that makes the heart glad and as a potent symbol of covenant joy and even of the blood of Christ. But like any good gift from God, it can be twisted and abused by sinful men into something destructive. This verse personifies wine and strong drink, attributing to them the characteristics of the kind of fool they produce. Wine becomes a "mocker," and strong drink a "brawler." The central point is one of wisdom versus folly. The man who allows himself to be mastered by this substance, to be "led astray" by it, is fundamentally unwise. He is not living skillfully in God's world but is instead being played for a fool by a created thing, surrendering his reason and self-control, which are essential faculties for godly dominion.
The verse operates on the principle of cause and effect. The substance itself is not inherently evil, but its effect on a man given to excess is to make him a profane mocker and a violent fool. Therefore, the wise man governs his use of it, and the one who is governed by it reveals his folly. This is a foundational text for a biblical understanding of temperance, which is not teetotalism, but rather Spirit-led self-control. The issue is not the bottle, but the heart of the man who holds it.
Outline
- 1. The Character of Abused Drink (Prov 20:1)
- a. Wine Personified as a Mocker (Prov 20:1a)
- b. Strong Drink Personified as a Brawler (Prov 20:1b)
- c. The Verdict on the Drunkard: Unwise (Prov 20:1c)
Context In Proverbs
Proverbs 20 is a collection of miscellaneous sayings, typical of the central sections of the book, that touch on various aspects of wise and righteous living. There is not a tight thematic flow from one verse to the next, but rather a series of snapshots of wisdom in action. This verse on wine follows proverbs dealing with the king's wrath, strife, and laziness. It fits squarely within the book's overarching project of training young men, particularly future leaders, in the art of skillful living under the fear of the Lord. A man who cannot govern his own appetites, particularly his intake of alcohol, is unfit to govern a household, much less a city or a nation. The warning here is part of a larger biblical theme that cautions against the dangers of drunkenness (see Prov 23:20-21, 29-35; 31:4-7). The contrast between wisdom and folly is the central axis around which the entire book of Proverbs revolves, and this verse places the abuse of alcohol firmly on the side of folly.
Key Issues
- Personification as a Literary Device
- The Biblical View of Alcohol
- Drunkenness as Folly
- Wisdom as Self-Control
- The Distinction Between Use and Abuse
The Bottle as Mirror
It is a common error to read a verse like this and conclude that the Bible is teaching that wine is, in itself, a mocker. But this is a literary device called personification. Wine does not have a personality. Strong drink does not have fists. Rather, the substance is being described by the effect it has on the one who abuses it. The bottle becomes a mirror, reflecting the character of the man who has surrendered his character to it. What do you see when you look at a drunkard? You see a mocker. You see a brawler.
This is crucial for a right understanding of Christian liberty. The Bible does not teach that the physical world is divided into "good" things and "bad" things. God made the world and called it very good. He gave wine to gladden the heart of man (Ps 104:15). Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into a great deal of very fine wine at a wedding feast (John 2). The issue is never the created substance itself, but rather the heart of the creature interacting with it. Sin is not in the grape; sin is in the heart of man. This proverb is not an indictment of the beverage, but an indictment of the man who is "led astray by it." It is a warning about what you will become if you trade wisdom for intoxication.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
The proverb opens with two parallel statements, personifying two types of alcoholic beverages. First, wine is a mocker. The Hebrew word for mocker (letz) is a standard character in Proverbs. He is the scorner, the cynic, the man who scoffs at righteousness, wisdom, and correction. He is arrogant and profane. When a man drinks to excess, this is the character that emerges. The alcohol strips away his inhibitions and what comes out is the latent foolishness and scorn that was in his heart. He mocks his friends, his wife, the law, and ultimately, God. The wine has made a fool of him, and so he plays the fool by mocking everything good.
Second, strong drink a brawler. "Strong drink" refers to beverages with higher alcohol content, like beer or other fermented drinks. The effect described here is rage and violence. It is "raging" or "tumultuous." Drunkenness often leads to quarrels, strife, and physical violence. The man who is sober might restrain his anger, but the man under the influence of strong drink becomes loud, aggressive, and belligerent. We see this in every police blotter on a Saturday night. Again, the drink is not the agent; it is the catalyst. It unleashes the brawler that was lurking in the man's soul.
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
This final clause delivers the verdict and the central point of the proverb. The issue is being led astray by these things. The Hebrew word (shagah) means to wander, to reel, to stagger. It describes the physical gait of a drunkard, but it also carries the moral sense of erring or going astray from the path of wisdom. The man who staggers down the street is a picture of the man who is staggering away from God's law.
And the conclusion is simple and stark: such a man is not wise. In the world of Proverbs, this is the ultimate condemnation. To be unwise is to be a fool. It is to fail at the basic task of human existence, which is to live skillfully and righteously before God. The drunkard has given up his reason, his self-control, and his dignity. He has allowed a chemical to become his master. He is not exercising dominion over the creation; the creation is exercising a foolish dominion over him. This is the very definition of folly.
Application
The application of this proverb must navigate between the two ditches of legalism and license. The legalist, the teetotaler, reads this and says, "See? Alcohol is evil. No Christian should touch it." But in doing so, he maligns God's good creation and sets up a man-made rule that the Bible does not require. He tries to build a hedge around the law, and in the process, he creates a new law. This is the error of the Pharisees.
On the other side is the libertine, who uses his Christian freedom as a cloak for indulgence. He rightly notes that the Bible does not forbid drinking, but he wrongly concludes that there are no guardrails. He flirts with drunkenness, boasts of his tolerance, and often becomes a stumbling block to his weaker brother. He is being led astray, but he calls it freedom. He is not wise.
The path of wisdom is the path of temperance, which is Spirit-produced self-control (Gal 5:23). The wise Christian understands that alcohol is a good gift, but a dangerous one, like fire or a fast car. He receives it with thanksgiving and uses it with prudence and moderation. He is the master of the drink, and not the other way around. He knows his own limits and the sensitivities of those around him. He never allows himself to become a mocker or a brawler. His goal is not to see how close he can get to the line of sin without crossing it, but rather to live in such a way that he is filled with the Spirit, not with wine (Eph 5:18). The ultimate mocker is Satan, and the ultimate brawler is a man at war with God. Drunkenness is simply a cheap and pathetic imitation of their folly, and the wise man will have nothing to do with it.