Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (1Timothy 3:8-9)
I'm sure you've heard that wine was a fairly common drink at meals and celebrations in N.T. times. So there were bound to me some who abused just as any euphoria producing substance is abuse today. Paul does not say "no wine," but prohibits the deacon must not hold on to much wine; "addicted" is a good interpretation.
Imagine one or several men showing up inebriated for a meeting or a service; irreverent and silly rather than seriously worshipping and serving God. Drunkenness is inconsistent with the need for dignity. The prohibition is neither new nor unique to Christianity. Barnes points out that both pagan and Jewish cultures prohibited religious officials at various levels from being sober. Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die--it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations…
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