1 Timothy 5:23

“Drink no longer water, etc.] Though it was commendable in him to keep under his body, as the apostle did, by abstemious living, and not pamper the flesh and encourage the lusts of it, and so preserve purity and chastity; yet it was proper that he should take care of his health, that it was not impaired by too much severity, and so he be incapable of doing the work of the Lord. And it seems by this, that his long and only use of water for his drink had been prejudicial to his health: wherefore the following advice was judged proper: but use a little wine; some, by “a little wine”, understand not the quantity, but the quality of the wine; a thin, small, weak wine, or wine mixed with water; and…”

“no longer--as a habit. This injunction to drink wine occasionally is a modification of the preceding "keep thyself pure." The presbyter and deacon were enjoined to be "not given to wine" (Ti1 3:3, Ti1 3:8). Timothy seems to have had a tendency to undue ascetical strictness on this point (compare Note, see on Ti1 4:8; compare the Nazarene vow, Num 6:1-4; John the Baptist, Luk 1:15; Rom. 14). Paul therefore modifies the preceding words, "keep thyself pure," virtually saying, "Not that I mean to enjoin that kind of purity which consists in asceticism, nay, be no longer a water-drinker," that is, no longer drink only water, but use a little wine, as much as is needed for thy health. So ELLICOTT…”

“Drink no longer water - There has been much difficulty felt in regard to the connection which this advice has with what precedes and what follows. Many have considered the difficulty to be so great that they have supposed that this verse has been displaced, and that it should be introduced in some other connection. The true connection, and the reason for the introduction of the counsel here, seems to me to be this: Paul appears to have been suddenly impressed with the thought - a thought which is very likely to come over a man who is writing on the duties of the ministry - of the arduous nature of the ministerial office. He was giving counsels in regard to an office which required a great…”

“5:23 Possibly the concern with purity (5:22) was being taken too far with respect to wine (see 3:3; Num 6:1-21) or food (1 Cor 10:21). Wine may have been considered medicinal.”

“Ti1 3:3, Ti1 4:4; Lev 10:9-11; Psa 104:15; Pro 31:4-7; Eze 44:21; Eph 5:18; Tit 1:7, Tit 2:3 1 Timothy 5:24”