Was it real wine? In a word, yes. The word used means wine. Verse 10 implies that it was alcoholic. The headwaiter is not endorsing drunkenness, but is simply stating the common practice. A host would serve the best wine first and hold the cheaper wine for later when the guests’ palates would be deadened and they wouldn’t notice the difference. Also, while the Bible strongly condemns drunkenness (Prov. 20:1 ; 23:29-35; Hab. 2:15 ; Luke 21:34 ; Rom. 13:13 ; Gal. 5:21 ; Eph. 5:18 ), it does not command total abstinence. It may be wise to abstain from all alcohol for several reasons. First, it’s easy to get addicted to alcohol, especially if you begin to depend on it to relieve stress or block out your problems. Before you know it, you can’t get along without a daily drink or two. I’ve read that if you have two beers a day, you’re an alcoholic. So, be careful! Second, if a brother who has a problem with alcohol sees you drinking and is led to go back to drinking himself, you have caused him to stumble, which is sin on your part (Rom. 14:21 ). But at the wedding, since the wine was diluted and since drunkenness was condemned in the Bible, Jesus was not endorsing drunkenness, even though He made alcoholic wine.