Does the Bible talk about Marijuana?

Does Scripture support the use of marijuana? Did the anointing oil contain cannabis? Did Jesus use marijuana? Sula Benet believed so. We don’t.

Someone said that Jesus used marijuana; that the anointing oil contained cannabis. Interesting.

Many who believe this cite the work of Dr. Sula Benet, an etymologist from Poland. In 1936 she concluded that the Hebrew words “q’nah-bosem” (Exodus 30:23) were etymologically related to “cannabis” and then reached the further conclusion that the anointing oil included marijuana.  She noted the similarities with words from other Middle Eastern language groups.  She further noted that the word could be used to reference a reed plant or a hemp plant, but she reached the definite conclusion that in the Exodus passage it meant the hemp plant. 

We find Benet’s arguments weak. Her logic fails in many areas.

We believe there are two fundamentals approaches to Scripture. One is to look for support for what you already believe. The other is to seek to find in Scripture how we should be changed. Those who use this second approach in their reading of the Bible may find this article of interest.

Read our article and tell us what you think.

Marijuana in Scripture