On the night before Jesus’ death, the Gospel writers invite us into the upper room to witness the Last Supper. It is an event that has been depicted in famous works of art and literature for centuries, making the Last Supper a familiar reference for people of different cultures, even religions. What is less familiar to us is some of the context of this famous event.
There is a remarkable similarity between the texts that record the Last Supper. Something they often share is a reference to “the cup.” Matthew reminds us that while Jesus and the disciples were eating, he described in detail how they were to remember his sacrifice.
Take it
“While they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.’” (Matthew 26:27, NIV)
In this brief exchange, Jesus presents the disciples with something that carried far more meaning for them than it does for us today. To us, the cup is an ordinary and practical vessel. But in both ancient Hebrew and Greek cultures, the reference was pregnant with meaning. “The cup” represented what was to come for a person. It was their “lot.” And not in a casual, random way. It represented all that the person deserved. We can see this kind of reference throughout different parts of Scripture.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5, NIV).
“This is what your Sovereign Lord says, your God, who defends his people. ‘See, I have taken out of your hand the cup that made you stagger; from that cup, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink again.” (Isaiah 51:22, NIV)
An Exchange
More than sixty times, we see a reference to “the cup” in Scripture. Sometimes, it was a cup of blessing and sometimes it was a cup of judgment. What is interesting about the Last Supper is that this time, the cup that was given is not the cup that was deserved. At the Last Supper, an exchange took place. As Jesus handed his cup to the disciples, he was receiving their cup… our cup. We deserved the cup of judgment, but instead Jesus handed to us the cup of his peace. And, in our place, he received the cup of judgment upon himself.
There is a part of us that understands this kind of sacrifice. When the people we love are hurting, we often want to step into their pain, so they don’t have to bear it alone. When my wife was battling depression, I found myself wanting so badly to fix things for her. What I learned was that she didn’t need me to fix the problem, she needed me to be present with her in the problem. Jesus did both. Jesus came as Emmanuel, “God with us.” And Jesus took on the judgment we deserved so that we would no longer have to bear it.
The Easter season is often the only time we pause long enough to consider what kind of mercy it must have taken for Jesus to be willing to exchange cups with us. He faced the judgment that we deserved so that we could have a relationship with God. Easter is our opportunity to remember and give thanks for that sacrifice.