Beacon Hill Church

The Last Supper or the last Passover Meal that Jesus would share with his disciples:

The Lord’s Supper was instituted as part of a Passover meal. The Passover celebrates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.


Point #1 – Four Cups were celebrated in the Passover Meal


By the time of Jesus, the meal was celebrated with four cups of wine, each reflecting a promise of God made to Moses and Israel at the beginning of their deliverance found in Exodus 6:5-8:

In the traditional Passover meal, the head of the household would recite each promise from God with each cup.


THE FIRST CUP, preceding the meal, is the CUP OF SANTIFICATION – based on God’s statement: I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians


THE SECOND CUP, preceding the first course, is the CUP OF JUDGMENT OR DELIVERANCE — based on God’s statement: I will rescue you from their bondage


The family would then take the meal together, followed by THE THIRD CUP, the CUP OF REDEMPTION – based on God’s statement: I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

· This is the cup spoken of in the narrative of the last supper (Mark 14:23-24)

THE FOURTH CUP is the CUP OF PROTECTION – based on God’s statement: I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.


Jesus did not take this cup, forfeiting the Passover, God’s protection against the death angel. Instead, he said: Mark 14:25:

Point #2 – The Fifth Cup is the Cup of God’s Wrath


Although Jesus drank no more wine, he did drink from another cup. You see, the traditional Passover has a fifth cup, taken from Jeremiah.

This is the cup of God’s wrath, also known as Elijah’s cup.


In the traditional ceremony, this cup is filled but not drunk — not until the coming of Elijah. But Jesus drank the cup.

In this scene in the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before his arrest, Jesus prayed to the Father that the “CUP” OF WRATH, also known as the CUP OF SUFFERING might pass from him.


JUST AS ONE MAN’S REBELLION IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN BROUGHT THE REIGN OF SIN AND DEATH TO THIS WORLD,

SO ALSO THE SUBMISSION OF ONE MAN IN ANOTHER GARDEN, THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, WOULD REVERSE THE PATTERN OF SIN AND BRING ABOUT THE DEFEAT OF DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE


Point #3 – Jesus drank the “Cup of Wrath” (Suffering)


Jesus drank the cup destined for the nations and so brought salvation to the nations.


We need not fear the punishment for our sin, for Jesus drank the “Cup of Wrath” for our transgressions when he hung on the cross.


If we will confess our sins and receive Jesus as our savior through faith, we have the assurance of eternal life with God.