BIB LIT 345: Exodus/Deuteronomy: 11/22 : Passover and the Fifth Cup (Elijah's Cup)

Video today: "The Fifth Cup".

short excerpt:

Look for:

What is a gethsemane?
What is Leyl Shimmurim?
What is the Fifth Cup?

Class discussion on "loaded words":
"watch": watch this word when it shows us on Scripture ; link it to Exodus Watch Night, Jesus and disciples "watching: in the garden...and :watching for Jesus return (even in Scriptures like Col 4:2)

"cup": When you see this word, think of all you learned in the video and readings about the cup of judgement/damnation

"It is finished": one early tradition about what Jesus meant by these words are "The cup is finished (I drank it all, all the wrath and judgement of God". Bit since the line comes from Psalm 22, and since Jesus clearly quoted the first line of Psalm 22 on the cross ("My God, why have you forsaken me?," He could have been quoting this line from the Psalm as well.

Rom 9:1-3: Paul says he'd go to hell (take the cup) for his Jewish brothers and sisters if he could..

But he knows he doesn't have to, because he knows who did.

-Study guide on today's video, p. 225ff here

Some thoughts on today's video from Jay Guin

Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Fifth Cup
Posted by Jay Guin
The Lord’s Supper was instituted as part of a Passover meal. The Passover, of course, celebrates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
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 delverance –

(Exo 6:5-8) “Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’”
RVL finds that at least three of the cups were recorded in the Gospels’ account of the Last Supper.

Imagine Jesus presiding over the Last Supper, a traditional Passover meal that gives new significance to each cup. 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 Sanctification – 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 deliver you from slavery to them”

(Luke 22:17) After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.”
Drink!
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”

(Luke 22:20) In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Drink!
The fourth cup is the Cup of Protection – based on God’s statement, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.” In fact, pesach, translated Passover, most literally means “protection.”
Drink!
Jesus did not take this cup, forfeiting the Passover, God’s protection against the death angel. Instead, he said,

(Mat 26:29) I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Although Jesus drank no more wine, he did drink from another cup. You see, the traditional Passover has a fifth cup, taken from Jeremiah –

(Jer 25:15-17) This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.” 17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent me drink it:
This is the cup of God’s wrath, also known as Elijah’s cup. Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return shortly before the coming of the Messiah and day of God’s wrath against all wickedness.

(Mal 4:5) “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.”
At this part of the Passover ceremony, the door is opened, and the head of household says, “Pour out your wrath on the world!”
In the traditional ceremony, this cup is filled but not drunk — not until the coming of Elijah. But Jesus drank the cup.

(Mat 26:39-42) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” … 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath against the nations. -Jay Guinn, link