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The Unused Cup

The Unused Cup: The Subtle Meaning of Christ’s New Covenant ๐Ÿท

In the account of the Last Supper, Jesus institutes the New Covenant by sharing the cup. The surprising detail is that the word Jesus uses for the container itself suggests a dramatic break from the traditional Passover setting, emphasizing the finality and personal nature of His sacrifice.

1. The Traditional Cup: Kosmos (ฮบoหŠฯƒฮผฮฟฯ‚)

The typical Greek word for a large, communal drinking cup, often associated with banquets and formal occasions, is kosmos. This word denotes an ordered, structured vessel used for communal, ritualistic drinking.

2. The Unused Word: Potฤ“rion (ฯ€oฯ„ฮทหŠโ€‹ฯฮนoฮฝ)

The word Jesus uses for the cup in the New Covenant institution is potฤ“rion (Matthew 26:27; 1 Corinthians 11:25).

  • Literal Meaning: While it simply means “drinking cup,” its root is highly significant. Potฤ“rion is associated with the concept of a portion, destiny, or allotted fate, often linked to the bitter cup of judgment in the Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17).
  • The Shocking Symbolic Meaning: By choosing this word, Jesus shifts the focus away from the Passover ritual’s communal vessel and toward the personal destiny it represents. The cup is not primarily a vessel of wine; it is a symbol of the bitter, personal judgment He was about to drink alone.
    • He is the Destiny: When He tells His disciples, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:27-28), He is saying that the New Covenant is not sealed by the wine in a communal vessel, but by the bitter destiny of suffering and death that He would face on their behalf.

3. The Eschatological Tie

This detail reframes the meaning of communion and the final judgment:

  • The Two Cups: Every time a believer partakes of the potฤ“rion, they are celebrating that Christ has drunk the cup of God’s wrath (His destined judgment) so that they may drink the cup of salvation (their destined inheritance).
  • The Finality: The New Covenant is ratified by this singular, personal act of destiny fulfilled. The ultimate return confirms that the bitter cup of judgment has been emptied by Christ, guaranteeing that only the cup of salvation remains for the redeemed.

The Return Question

If the cup (potฤ“rion) symbolizes Christ drinking the destiny of judgment, what specific personal difficulty or trial are you treating as a random burden, instead of accepting it as a portion of the potฤ“rion that aligns your destiny with the Messiah who fully emptied the cup of wrath?