This searching, if it is to be sound and effective, must be done in the original languages. Patient exegesis is the only way, and for this debate to be very meaningful, Mr. Gentry should seek to destroy my arguments and not waste his readers' time and take up space in Antithesis pointing out that my studies may have led me to be innovative. Innovations which attack the unity and harmony of Scripture should be opposed, but mine are based on a sound principle which is to determine what the inspired authors meant readers to understand. As a basis for making a decision, I seek, by using legitimate tools of exegesis, to relieve the reader of the idea that the Bible is a confusing book. No suggestion is made in these passages that if used in moderation it is an approved drink.
Nothing is said about moderation or withholding the dangerous drug from children.
The implication is that they would be invited to drink freely. If we did not reject him there would be something seriously wrong with our judgment. I protest that Mr. Gentry's attempt to refute me because I don't follow a well worn but delusive path should be utterly rejected. Innovations are not necessarily evil. If they discover long hidden truths and reveal the Bible's unity and harmony they should be accepted, unless they can be proved to be linguistically and philologically wrong.