Grapes

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

From very early times grapes were widely grown throughout the Middle East ( Genesis 9:20;  Genesis 14:18). Grape growing was well established in Canaan long before the Israelites arrived ( Numbers 13:20;  Numbers 13:24;  Deuteronomy 6:11). The Israelites in turn carried on grape growing as one of their main agricultural activities ( Judges 9:27;  Judges 14:5;  Judges 21:20; Song of  Song of Solomon 1:14;  Song of Solomon 7:12;  Amos 4:9;  Amos 5:11;  Amos 5:17).

Vineyards

A vineyard was usually a rectangular area planted with rows of grape vines and surrounded by a hedge to keep out animals and thieves. Often it contained a tower where a person could keep watch over the workers (Song of  Song of Solomon 2:15;  Isaiah 5:1-2;  Matthew 20:1;  Matthew 21:33). Workers usually pruned the vines in the spring, using specially made pruning hooks ( Joel 3:10;  John 15:2). They harvested the grapes in summer and, in keeping with Israelite harvesting practices, whatever they did not gather at the first picking they left for the poor ( Leviticus 19:10;  Deuteronomy 24:21;  Obadiah 1:5).

People ate grapes fresh and sometimes dried them to make raisins ( Numbers 6:3;  1 Samuel 25:18), but most of the grapes they crushed to make wine. They did this by trampling the grapes in a wine press, which was a pit hollowed out of solid rock ( Isaiah 5:2;  Isaiah 16:10;  Isaiah 63:2;  Matthew 21:33;  Revelation 14:19-20).

Vines and vineyards provided prophets and teachers with useful illustrations. Old Testament writers likened Israel to God’s vineyard. God took Israel from Egypt and planted it in a good land, doing everything possible for it so that it might bear fruit for him. But Israel failed to produce the fruit that God desired. God therefore ceased to look after it, with the result that enemies plundered and destroyed it ( Psalms 80:8-13;  Isaiah 5:1-7).

Jesus on occasions used illustrations from the vineyard, mainly to contrast the Jews’ rejection of him with the Gentiles’ acceptance ( Matthew 20:1-15;  Matthew 21:28-41). He also used the illustration of the grape vine, to show that if people truly are disciples, they will demonstrate it by the fruits that their union with him produces ( John 15:1-11).

Wine

Processes of making wine were well known in the ancient world ( Genesis 9:20-21;  Isaiah 25:6;  Jeremiah 48:11). People kept the fermented wine in earthenware pots or goatskin bags, though when goatskin bags became old and brittle they could not stand the pressure of new wine ( Jeremiah 13:12;  Jeremiah 35:5;  Mark 2:22).

Wine was a common drink of the Israelites, in both Old and New Testament times, and was one article of daily food that they offered to God in sacrifice ( Exodus 29:40;  Leviticus 23:13;  Deuteronomy 11:14;  Deuteronomy 18:4;  Judges 19:19;  Jeremiah 40:10;  Matthew 11:19). They considered a good supply of wine, along with other articles of daily food, to be one of God’s blessings ( Genesis 14:18;  Genesis 27:28;  Deuteronomy 7:12-13;  Proverbs 9:1-6;  Isaiah 55:1).

People associated wine with merriment and joy ( Psalms 104:15;  Ecclesiastes 9:7;  Zechariah 10:7;  John 2:1-10), though too much wine could lead to dullness of mind, unfitting behaviour and drunkenness ( Proverbs 31:4-5;  Isaiah 28:7;  Hosea 4:11;  Habakkuk 2:15;  1 Peter 4:3;  Revelation 17:2). Israelite law therefore disallowed wine completely for certain people, such as priests and others who set themselves apart to God for special service ( Leviticus 10:9;  Numbers 6:3;  Jeremiah 35:8;  Luke 1:15). The possibility of drunkenness brought strong warnings concerning the dangers of wine ( Proverbs 20:1;  Proverbs 23:20;  Proverbs 23:29-35;  Romans 13:13;  Romans 14:21;  Ephesians 5:18). Drunkenness disqualified a person from a position of leadership among God’s people ( Isaiah 28:1-3;  Isaiah 56:9-12;  1 Timothy 3:8;  Titus 2:3).

Wine had some medicinal value and was used to help heal wounds and illnesses ( Proverbs 31:6;  Luke 10:34;  1 Timothy 5:23). When mixed with spices it could help deaden pain. But when such a mixture was offered to Jesus on the cross, he refused it ( Mark 15:23). The wine (vinegar) that he drank shortly after was the common wine of the people, not drugged wine. Jesus’ purpose in asking for it was not to deaden his pain, but to moisten his mouth so that he could announce his final triumphant words loud enough for all to hear ( Mark 15:36-37;  John 19:28-30). (For the significance of wine in the Lord’s Supper see Lord’S Supper )

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The Scripture speak of two sorts of grapes, the true, and the wild. And while the former is both good for food and delight, the other is poisonous and destructive. The blood of the grape is spoken of by the dying patriarch Jacob, ( Genesis 49:11) perhaps not without reference to the sacramental ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Moses beautifully contrasts the vineyards of the wicked with the vineyards of the Lord of hosts. "Their vine (saith he,) is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrha; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter." ( Deuteronomy 32:32) Whereas the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is compared to the "rich clusters of Engedi." ( Song of Song of Solomon 1:14) We are told by an ancient writer, that so luxurious were the branches and clusters of grapes in the eastern world, that there have been seen some of ten and twelve pounds. Indeed, in our own country in hot houses, clusters of many pounds have been gathered. I cannot, under this article, forbear remarking the kindness of that precept in Israel concerning the vineyard, that when the Israelites gathered in their vintage, the gleanings should be for those that had no vineyard ( Leviticus 19:9-10) And it should seem, that in the gleaning season the vineyards were thrown open, for the traveller passing by to have the benefit of it. I leave the reader to make his own comment; but I cannot but think, that there was much of gospel veiled under this precept. The gleaning season in Christ's church is all the year. Thousands going by have found gleaning seasons to their souls daily; and the invitation, indeed, is to the highways, and lanes, and hedges of the city, to call in "the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind." And even when these are come, and their souls have been filled, "still there is room." So infinitely full and so infinitely gracious is the great Lord of the vineyard, that all application ceases before that any diminishing is found in him and his vineyard, to supply. ( Luke 14:21-22)

See Cluster

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fruit of the vine. The grapes of Palestine were very fine, of great size and high flavor,  Numbers 13:24 . At present, and probably the same has always been true, the wine that is made requires but a small part of the annual yield of the vines. Dr. Robinson says, "No wine is made from the very extensive vineyards of Hebron, except a little by the Jews." While yet green, grapes are used for food in various ways; and are dried in the sun, or their juice preserved in bottles, to secure a pleasant vegetable tart all the year round,  Numbers 6:4 . Ripe grapes may be had in Syria four or five months,  Leviticus 26:5; and when the season closes many are hung up in clusters, suitably protected, and remain without drying up all through the winter. Grapes are exceedingly cheap, and form no small part of the ordinary food. Ripe grapes are also dried into raisins; and after the hanging grapes are gone, the raisins are used until the return of new grapes. Besides the law which protected the first three years' growth of the vine, (see Fruits there was another law requiring the Jews to leave the gleanings of their vineyards for the poor,  Leviticus 19:10,23 . The law also allowed one who was passing a vineyard to pick a few grapes to eat on the spot, but not to carry any away,  Deuteronomy 23:24 . Everywhere we encounter proofs of the admirable humanity that characterized the Mosaic legislation. A vineyard nearly stripped of its clustered treasures was a frequent image of desolation,  Isaiah 17:6   24:13   Obadiah 1:5 . See Vine .

"Wild grapes" were the fruit of a wild vine, probably the Vitis Labrusca of Linnaeus, the wild claret-grape. The fruit of the wild vine is called oenanthes, of the flower of wine. They never ripen, and are good only for verjuice. In  Isaiah 5:2,4 , God complains of his people whom he had planted as a choice vine, an excellent plant, that he had a right to require of them good fruit, but they had brought forth only wild grapes-fruit of a bad smell, and a bad taste.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Plants In The Bible

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

GRAPES . See Wine and Strong Drink.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Grapes. See Vine.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

GRAPES. —See Wine.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

See VINE.