In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus declares to his disciples at the Last Supper, ‘I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ (Mt 26:26, Mk 14:25, Lk 22:18) This is as Tobiah says to the father of Sarah—his rightful and would-be bride: “I will eat or drink nothing until you set aside what belongs to me.” (Tobit 7:11)
In Matthew, Mark, and John, almost the final thing Jesus does on His cross before He dies is to consume some wine from a sponge. (Mt 27:48, Mk 15:36, Jn 19:29) Jesus drinks because the kingdom has come and His marriage to His bride, the Church, is sealed. He loves us as Tobiah loved Sarah, not out of lust (to control and exploit) but “for a noble purpose” (out of love.) Like Tobiah, Jesus is willing to face death to gain His beautiful bride.
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