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See for yourself what the Bible says. The WWW Bible Gateway has concordances
for the King James, the American Standard and four or five other
translations. It's easy to do word or verse searches.
 Marijuana & the Bible
And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no
more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear
the shame of the heathen any more. -- Ezekiel 34:29
"The Lord said unto me, 'I will take my rest and I will consider
in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs.' "
-- Isaiah 18:4-5
"Lord, when did we see thee sick or in prison
and came unto thee?" And the King will answer and say unto
them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethern, ye have done it
unto me." -- Matthew 25:39-40
 What is the Word of God on
the Cannabis plant?
The hemp plant (scientific name: cannabis, slang: marijuana) is one of
the many useful herbs "yielding seed after its kind" created and
blessed by God on the third day of creation, "and God saw that it was
good." (Genesis 1:12) He gave hemp for people to use with our free
will.
God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which
is upon the face of all the earth.…To you it will
be for meat." … And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold,
it was very good. (Genesis 1:29-31) The Bible predicts some herb's
prohibition. "Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times, some shall … speak lies in hypocrisy …
commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (Paul: 1 Timothy
4:1-3)
The Bible speaks of a special plant. "I will raise up for them a
plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the
land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any
more." (Ezekiel 34:29) A healing plant. On either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare 12 manner of fruits, and yielding
her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations. (Revelations 22:1-2) A gift from God.
How was cannabis used in Biblical times and lands?
Cannabis was used 12 ways: clothing, paper, cord, sails, fishnet, oil,
sealant, incense, food, and in ceremony, relaxation and medicine. For so
the Lord said unto me, "I will take my rest and I will consider in my
dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs. For afore harvest, when the
bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut
off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the
branches." (Isaiah 18:4-5)
What about cannabis today?
Hemp today has thousands of uses. Modern technology has devised many new
uses for the hemp plant&emdash;like
biomass energy, building materials, fuel, plastic and so on. Hemp is
ecological and its seed is among the best food crops on Earth. Selected
varieties produce flowers that provide an herbal relaxant and a spiritual
tool. Its herb is used globally as medicine.
Does the Bible discuss drugs?
Alcohol is the only drug openly discussed in the Bible, so it must serve
as our reference. Wine is drunk during religious occasions such as Passover
&emdash; the Last Supper of Jesus and His
disciples. It remains a sacrament in modern church services.
Jesus began his public life by miraculously turning water into wine at
the Wedding at Cana (John
2:1-10) when the reception ran out. The Bible distinguishes between use and
misuse. It says, Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and
wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. (Proverbs 31:6-7) but Woe unto
them that … follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine
inflame them! (Isaiah 5:10)
Yet the simple joys of drinking were also sung. He causeth
the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he
may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh
glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shineth. (Psalm 104:14-15)
 Did Jesus speak about
choice?
He said not to criticize other people for their habits. "Not that
which goeth into the mouth defileth
a man; that which cometh out of the mouth defileth
a man." (Mat. 15:11) The apostle Paul wrote, I know, and am persuaded
by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:
but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean,
to him it is unclean. … For the kingdom
of God is
not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost. (Paul: Romans 14:14,17)
Did He speak of government?
Jesus said to keep church and state apart. "Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be
God's." (Luke 20:25) As we have seen, it was God, not government, who
gave man the herbs to use. And it was government that put Jesus to death.
Property forfeiture laws?
He warned us about seizure and forfeiture laws. "Beware of the
scribes which …devour widows' houses…. The same shall receive greater
damnation." (Luke 20:46-47) Jesus, too, was a victim. The soldiers,
when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to
every soldier a part. (John. 19:33)
What about the Drug War?
Blessed are the peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)
It was God who created cannabis hemp and told mankind to use "every
green herb" on Earth. The Bible speaks of mercy, healing and a
persecution of God's children. They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
(Psalms 119:86) Prisons and drug wars do not save souls. The Lord… hath
sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. (Isaiah 61:1)
What should the ministry do?
Teach God's truth. Warn your congregation that the war on marijuana is
unchristian and must be ended. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you,
that you will be no priest to Me … for I desired mercy and not
sacrifice. (Hosea 4:6, 6:6)
Remember: Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it
be received with thanksgiving…. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of
these things, thou shalt be a good minister of
Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine.
(Paul: 1 Timothy 4:4-6)
Summary analysis of the foregoing discussion
What does the Bible say about marijuana? The Bible says that God created
hemp for people to use "as meat," (ie,
to consume), that its seed oil is to be used as an ointment, and that
cannabis is "to be received with thanks-giving of them which believe
and know the truth." Paul also warned that some people would
"speak lies in hypocrisy" and prohibit us from using it.
It also says that we "shall not bear false witness" about
people who use cannabis, nor judge them because that judgement
is reserved to the Lord. The Lord hates those who speak lies and sow
discord among brethern. For those people harrassed and imprisoned for using cannabis rightfuly, Jesus offers these words of comfort,
"Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness's
sake: For theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven."
What would Jesus do regarding medical marijuana?
Despite common knowledge and widespread scientific support, the federal
government has for nearly 30 years kept cannabis in schedule 1 as a
deliberate way to deny patients access to medical marijuana. This includes
people suffering from asthma, cancer, migraine headache, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, and provides relief
for many other conditions. As a result, people at various locations across
the USA have
had to risk and suffer years in prison for providing medical marijuana to
patients as an act of compassion and personal conscience. What would Jesus
do? He chose to break the law in order to heal the sick.
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath
day through the corn, and his disciples were hungered, and began to pluck
the ears of corn, and to eat. 2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said
unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day 3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read
what David did, when he was hungered, and they that were with him? … 10)
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered, And they asked
him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath
days? that they might accuse him. 11) And he said
unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep,
and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day,
will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? 12) How much then is a man
better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13) Then saith
he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he
stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14) Then
the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might
destroy him. 15) But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence,
and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16) And charged
them that they should not make him known." (Matthew 12: 1-2, 10-16)
(also see Mark 3, Luke 13, John 9)
Should people give blind obedience to government?
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem,
saying, 2) Why do thy disciple transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread."
3) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the
commandment of God by your tradition? … 7) Ye hypocrites! … 12) Then came
his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou
that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13) But he
answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly
Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind, And if the blind lead the
blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:1-3, 7, 12-14)
Passages from the King James Bible that are relevant
to the legal and moral status of Cannabis sativa, L.
And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after its kind,
and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself,
after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)
God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of
a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of
the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have
given every green herb for meat: and it was so." And God saw
everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening
and the morning were the sixth day. (Gen. 1:29-31)
(No prohibition of cannabis or any other drug is made in the Ten
Commandments: See Ex. 20:1-17)
(Cannabis is mentioned in Ex. 30:23 but King James mistranslated it as
'sweet calamus') :
Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23
Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred
shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even 250 shekels, and of qaneh-bosm [cannabis] 250 shekels, 24 And of
cassia 500 shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25 And thou shalt make
it an oil of holy anointment, an ointment compound after the art of the
apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26 And thous
shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation
therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels,
and the candlestick ahd his vessels, and the
altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offerings with all his vessels,
and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt
sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth
them shall be holy. (Exodus 30:22-29)
* As one shekel equals approximately 16.37 grams, this
means that the THC from over 9 pounds of flowering cannabis tops were
extracted into a hind, about 6.5 litres of oil.
The entheogenic effects of such a solution --
even when applied topically -would undoubtedly have been intense.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle
and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the
earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man
and oil to make his face to shineth.
(Psalm 104:14-15)
The Lord said unto me, "I will take my rest and I will consider in
my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in
the heat of harvest. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the
sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut off the sprigs with
pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. (Is. 18:4-5)
And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no
more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear
the shame of the heathen any more. (Ezekiel 34:29)
(Jesus:) "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth
a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth
a man." (Matt. 15:11)
One believeth that he may eat all things. Another…eateth
herbs. … Let us not, therefore judge one another any more: but judge this
rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is
nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
For the kingdom of God
is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Epistle of St. Paul:
Romans 14: 2,3,13,14,17)
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving
of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is
good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving: For it
is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in
remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good
minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good
doctrine, whereupon thou hast attained. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:1-6)
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the
street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life,
which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielding
her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations. (Rev. 22:1-2)
Other relevant quotes:
Intoxication:
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not wise. (Prov. 20:1)
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those
of heavy hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his
misery no more. (Prov. 31:6-7)
"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may
follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine
inflame them! (Isaiah 5:10)
(Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana: See John 1-10. He also served wine
at the Last Supper.)
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Prohibition:
(Jesus:) He said unto them, "Render
therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the
things which be God's." (Luke 20:25)
"Then came Peter to him and said, "Lord, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee until seven
times: But until seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:21-22)
(Jesus:) "If a kingdom be divided
against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24)
(Jesus:) He saith
unto them, "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive
that whatsoever thing from without entereth
into the man, it cannot defile him.... That which cometh out of the man,
that defileth the man." (Mark 7:18-20)
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Forfeiture:
As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company
of priests commit murder in the way by consent. (Hos. 6:9)
(Jesus:) "Beware the scribes which desire
to walk in long robes and … the highest seats in the synagogues and the
chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make
long prayers: They shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47)
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments,
and made four parts, to every soldier a part. (John 19:33)
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Persecution:
Thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou
me. (Ps. 119:86)
(Jesus:) "Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those
persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." (Matthew 5:9-10)
(Jesus:) "The King shall answer and say
unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one
of the least of these my brethern, ye have done
it unto me." (Matt. 25:40)
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Tolerance:
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination
unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent
blood; An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
feet that be swift in running to mischief; A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth
discord among brethern." (Prov. 6:16-19)
(Jesus:) "But I say unto you which hear,
Love your enemies, do good to them which hate
you, Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use
you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one
cheek, offer also the other, and him that taketh
away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also." (Luke 6:27-29)
Truth:
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning: and a man of
understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. (Proverbs 1:5)
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants
are wicked. (Prov. 29:12)
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Judgement & Punishment:
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of
the prison to them that are bound." (Is. 61:1)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected
knowledge, I will also reject you, that you will
be no priest to Me…for I desired mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 4:6,
6:6)
(Jesus:) "Judge not, that ye be not
judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye
shall be judged: And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that
is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not
the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matt.
7:1-4)
(Jesus:) He beheld them and said, "What
is this then that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the
same is become the head of the corner'?" (Luke 20:17)
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