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The Four Cups Jesus Took





The first cup Jesus drank was the cup of the new covenant while they celebrated the Passover before His crucifixion. "He took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:27).  The new covenant of Grace and justification as opposed to law and punishment received through Moses.  Those who repent of their sins will be saved by grace. 

The second cup is the cup of obedience, that He took while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He pleaded with His Father to remove this cup from Him. It was the cup that He embraced in full obedience to His Father’s will. And He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42). In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus asks Peter (John 18:4) “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” It was the cup of the punishment of God against sins of the world.

The third cup was a cup that Jesus refused to drink and finally drank and died. Fermented wine used to be given as a narcotic or anesthetic to one who was about to be crucified so that they will not feel the severity of the pain. Matthew 27:33 - 34 refers to this drink as wine mixed with gall, while Mark calls it wine and myrrh (Mark 15:23) and he refused to drink it. "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth."(John 19:29-30). This was the cup he drank for the fulfillment of prophecy we read in Psalm 69:21 by David saying "They put gall in my food; and gave me vinegar for my thirst" (Psalm 69:21). John understood that Jesus was conscious of fulfilling scripture. After this, His last words from the cross were "It is finished."  He drank that cup to fulfill the mission he was given to take up the sin away from the world. The One who created the waters of the sea and under the earth, the One who opened the eyes of Hagar to see a well of water in the desert (Genesis 21:15), The One who opened the rock in the desert and made the waters gush out to quench the thirst of the people was thirsty at His death. He was given a drink of sour wine on a hyssop rod to quench his thirst so that you and I can drink the living water and will never thirst again. 

The fourth cup of which Jesus spoke - a cup that He is yet to drink. He looks forward to drinking that cup with us in glory. We read in Luke 22:20, "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." Then He said, "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." The words of Jesus also represent to us the absolute certainty of our salvation. It also represents the absolute certainty that He is going to come again and will have supper with us, when he will be drinking that cup with us.



Blessings

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