The happy hour in the Bible

[GIGObuster]

Nope, this is not entirely a faith related question I am looking for info. I am just curious. Regarding this Bible passage from the book of Acts:

After the apostles began to speak in different languages, the foreigners in Judaea react:

2:12
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
2:13
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
2:14
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
2:15
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

Was there in those days a happy hour? Or more appropriately: was it normal for people in Judaea or the Roman Empire to get drunk at a specific time? Also: the disciples of Jesus do not deny that they themselves could later drink like Cossacks. What was the view on getting drunk, at the right time, in the early Christian church?

[sub]Was it true that Cossacks were amazing drinkers?[/sub]

[Dr.Lao]

I think Peter is saying it is too early for them to be drinking, so they can’t be drunk. Since drinking tends to impair your ability to work for some time afterwards it was no doubt the custom then, as it is now, to hold off drinking until the work day is done.

[tomndebb]

The Third Hour was the third hour following sunrise. Peter was simply saying that it was unlikely that anyone (particularly an entire group) whould be drunk at 9:00 in the morning.

[jb_farley]

*Originally posted by tomndebb *
**Peter was simply saying that it was unlikely that anyone (particularly an entire group) whould be drunk at 9:00 in the morning. **

not in my church, let me tell you.

jb

[GIGObuster]

Yes, I know, they are not drunk.
The question is: at what time it was OK to be drunk in those days, and how common it was that.
And: did the early church say something in favor or against heavy drinking if it was done at the right time?

[Dr.Lao]

I think it is just common sense that you wouldn’t drink in the morning, not that there is any prohibition against it. Get wasted 9am, go out and watch you flock, lose half of them to a pack of wild dogs because you fell asleep.

[tomndebb]

Jewish culture, while embracing the use of wine, was very much opposed to drunkeness. (Note the number of instances in the bible where drunkeness leads to curses and other “bad stuff” and the number of anti-drunkeness proverbs and compare that to the tales in other cultures celebrating various revelries.)

I doubt that there was a time when drunkeness was ever encouraged, but then, as now, people are expected to remain sober at least through the work day. As long as the market was open and the scribes were totalling their lists of cyphers, people would be expected to stay sober–and 9:00 a.m. was too early.