Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - FOUR CUPS

FOUR CUPS

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks… 

(Matthew 26:27)

Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks

He gave it to them… 

(Mark 14:23)

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks… 

(Luke 22:17)

Likewise He also took the cup after supper… 

(Luke 22:20)

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper… 

(1 Corinthians 11:25)

In at least one gospel, there is indication that Jesus “took" one cup twice or “took” from two different cups at the Last Supper. This, in itself, would not be unusual considering that at the Seder meal before Passover there were apparently four cups of wine given to symbolize a number of celebrations.*

First to remember the four terms of redemption as in Exodus 6:6-7:

“I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,”

Cup of Sanctification

“I will rescue you from their bondage,”

Cup of Deliverance

“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements.”

Cup of Redemption

“I will take you as My people…” 

Cup of Praise

Second, to remember the four stages of redemption:

The salvation from harsh labour

The salvation from servitude

The splitting of the sea, after which the Jewish felt redeemed

Becoming a nation at Sinai

Thirdly, the cups apparently symbolize freedom from the four exiles:

The Egyptian

The Babylonian

The Greek

The Current Exile 

The last exile to be ended by the coming of the Jewish Messiah and the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, where they are to rebuild the Holy Temple and to usher in the utopian Messianic Era.

Perhaps the most significant meaning was the remembrance of the four terms of redemption and perhaps that’s also why Christ only drank from one cup because He fulfilled all the terms of redemption:

He brings us out from our burdens 

He rescued us from bondage. 

He redeems us with His blood

He takes us with Him as joint heirs of God.

There have also, at times, been a fifth cup because God also said the He would…

…bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Issac and Jacob; 

and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord. 

(Exodus 6:8)

Thus, Christ fulfills all of these because He promises to bring us with Him into eternity. All with the one cup representative of His blood sacrificed on the cross.

Certainly it gives one a lot to think about.

*Adapted from Jesus the Messiah in the Four Cups of the Passover chosenpeople.com

Why four cups of wine by the Seder? Naftali Silberberg found at www.chabad.org