Revellings
What Are Revellings in the Bible?
The term "revellings" (also rendered "reveling" or "carousing" in modern translations) describes excessive, unrestrained celebration marked by drunkenness, sensuality, and moral abandonment. The Greek word behind it is "komos," which originally referred to a festive procession in honor of the god Dionysus, often involving drunken parades through the streets at night. In the New Testament, the word takes on a thoroughly negative connotation, describing behavior that is contrary to godly living.
Revellings as a Work of the Flesh
Paul includes revellings in his list of the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:21. It appears alongside fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, and drunkenness. Paul's warning is stark: "those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21). By placing revellings in this catalog of sins, Paul makes clear that unrestrained partying is not a harmless indulgence but a serious spiritual danger.
Peter's Admonition to Believers
The apostle Peter also addresses revellings in his first epistle. He reminds believers that their pre-conversion lifestyle among the Gentiles was marked by "debauchery, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry" (1 Peter 4:3). Peter encourages Christians to leave behind this former way of life, even though their pagan neighbors may mock them for no longer joining in such excess (1 Peter 4:4). The contrast between past behavior and present calling is central to Peter's argument.
Paul's Call to Walk in the Light
In Romans 13:13, Paul urges believers to "behave properly as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy." The imagery is powerful: reveling belongs to the darkness, while believers are called to walk in the light. Paul connects this exhortation to the urgency of the times, reminding his readers that "the night is nearly over; the day is almost here" (Romans 13:12).
The Cultural Context of Ancient Revelry
In the Greco-Roman world, revellings were closely tied to pagan religious festivals. The "komos" was a common feature of worship celebrations for Dionysus and other deities, where participants would drink excessively, engage in sexual activity, and process through cities with torches and music. For early Christians living in cities like Corinth, Galatia, and Rome, the pressure to participate in such cultural events was intense. Refusing to join in could mean social exclusion and even persecution.
The Biblical Alternative
Rather than reveling in excess, Scripture calls believers to be "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), finding joy, community, and celebration in worship and mutual encouragement. The fruit of the Spirit, including self-control, stands in direct contrast to the unrestrained indulgence of revellings (Galatians 5:22-23). Biblical joy is not the absence of celebration but its transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical Context
Revellings appears in the New Testament in Galatians 5:21 as a work of the flesh, in 1 Peter 4:3 as part of the Gentile lifestyle believers have left behind, and in Romans 13:13 where Paul contrasts it with walking in the light. The concept also appears in 2 Peter 2:13 where false teachers revel in their deception.
Theological Significance
The biblical condemnation of revellings teaches that unrestrained self-indulgence is fundamentally opposed to life in the Spirit. It reveals that the Christian life involves transformation of desires and behaviors, not merely outward conformity. The inclusion of revellings among sins that can exclude from God's kingdom underscores that lifestyle patterns of moral abandon are incompatible with genuine faith.
Historical Background
The Greek word 'komos' originally described festive processions associated with the worship of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry. These events were common in Hellenistic cities and often involved drunken parades, feasting, and sexual license. In Roman culture, similar festivals like the Bacchanalia became so notorious that the Roman Senate attempted to ban them in 186 BC. Early Christians in Greco-Roman cities faced significant social pressure to participate in these cultural celebrations.