Leviticus 10:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Do not drink wine, nor strong drink— See the note on Leviticus 10:1. By strong drink, is here meant, such inflammatory intoxicating liquors, as were made in imitation of wine; as of dates, figs, honey; with many other sorts of liquors, which Pliny call vina factitia, made wines; particularly palm-wine, which was much used in those countries, and reckoned the most intoxicating of any. "The Lord, by this precept," says Ainsworth, (the spirit of which will always remain in force,) "required sobriety in his priests, and carefulness to administer justly; lest they should drink, and forget the law; should err through wine, and be out of the way through strong drink, Proverbs 31:5.Isaiah 28:7. Accordingly the ministers of the Gospel must be sober, and not given to wine," 1 Timothy 3:2-3. A learned writer observes, that there was a law among the Carthaginians, which Plato commends, that no magistrate all the year he was in office, nor any judge while he was in action or employment, should so much as taste a drop of wine; which is agreeable to Solomon's maxim, Proverbs 31:4. Porphyry informs us, that the Egyptian priests either drank no wine at all, or very sparingly; alledging, as a reason for their abstinence, that it had a tendency to weaken the nerves, affect the head, prejudice the invention, and inflame the animal passions. The reason, however, why wine is forbidden to the Jewish priests, is given in the 10th and 11th verses. It was, that they might preserve a clear, unclouded mind, and might be able, both for themselves, and for the people, to treat holy things with a due distinction, and to teach others to do the same; which seems much to confirm what was hinted in the first note,—that Nadab and Abihu had sinned, through a neglect of preserving this clearness of mind. Note; 1. Drunkenness is highly criminal in all, but it is in ministers doubly infamous. 2. Intemperance is often attended with sudden death. 3. It is impossible that they should teach sobriety to others, whose practice gives a lie to their preaching.