Difference between revisions of "Cup"

<p> This word is taken in a twofold sense; proper, and figurative. In a proper sense, it signifies a vessel, such as people drink out of at meals, &nbsp;Genesis 40:13 . It was anciently the custom, at great entertainments, for the governor of the feast to appoint to each of his guests the kind and proportion of wine which they were to drink, and what he had thus appointed them it was deemed a breach of good manners either to refuse or not to drink up; hence a man's cup, both in sacred and profane authors, came to signify the portion, whether of good or evil, which happens to him in this world. Thus, to drink "the cup of trembling," or of "the fury of the Lord," is to be afflicted with sore and terrible judgments, &nbsp;Isaiah 51:17; &nbsp;Jeremiah 25:15-29; &nbsp;Psalms 75:8 . What Christ means by the expression, we cannot be at a loss to understand, since in two remarkable passages, &nbsp;Luke 22:42 , and &nbsp;John 18:11 , he has been his own interpreter. <em> Lethale poculum bibere, </em> "to drink the deadly cup," or cup of death, was a common phrase among the Jews; and from them, we have reason to believe, our Lord borrowed it. </p> <p> CUP OF [[Blessing]] &nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:16 , is that which was blessed in entertainments of ceremony, or solemn services; or, rather, a cup over which God was blessed for having furnished its contents; that is, for giving to men the fruit of the vine. Our Saviour, in the Last Supper, blessed the cup, and gave it to each of his [[Apostles]] to drink, &nbsp;Luke 22:20 . </p> <p> CUP OF [[Salvation]] &nbsp;Psalms 116:13 , a phrase of nearly the same import as the former, a cup of thanksgiving, of blessing the Lord for his saving mercies. We see, in 2Ma_6:27 , that the Jews of Egypt, in their festivals for deliverance, offered cups of salvation. The Jews have at this day cups of thanksgiving, which are blessed, in their marriage ceremonies, and in entertainments made at the circumcision of their children. Some commentators think that "the cup of salvation" was a libation of wine poured on the victim sacrificed on thanksgiving occasions, according to the law of Moses, &nbsp;Exodus 29:40 . </p>

<div> '''1: '''''Ποτήριον''''' ''' (Strong'S #4221 — Noun Neuter — poterion — pot-ay'-ree-on ) </div> <p> a diminutive of poter, denotes, primarily, a "drinking vessel;" hence, "a cup" (a) literal, as, e.g., in &nbsp;Matthew 10:42 . The "cup" of blessing, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:16 , is so named from the third (the fourth according to Edersheim) "cup" in the Jewish Passover feast, over which thanks and praise were given to God. This connection is not to be rejected on the ground that the church at [[Corinth]] was unfamiliar with Jewish customs. That the contrary was the case, see &nbsp;1 Corinthians 5:7; (b) figurative, of one's lot or experience, joyous or sorrowful (frequent in the Psalms; cp. &nbsp;Psalm 116:18 , "cup of salvation"); in the NT it is used most frequently of the sufferings of Christ, &nbsp;Matthew 20:22,23; &nbsp;26:39; &nbsp;Mark 10:38,39; &nbsp;14:36; &nbsp;Luke 22:42; &nbsp;John 18:11; also of the evil deeds of Babylon, &nbsp;Revelation 17:4; &nbsp;18:6; of [[Divine]] punishments to be inflicted, &nbsp;Revelation 14:10; &nbsp;16:19 . Cp. &nbsp;Psalm 11:6; &nbsp;75:8; &nbsp;Isaiah 51:17; &nbsp;Jeremiah 25:15; &nbsp;Ezekiel 23:32-34; &nbsp;Zechariah 12:2 . </p>

<p> '''Cup.''' The cups of the Jews, whether of metal or earthenware, were possibly borrowed, in point of shape and design, from Egypt and from the Phoenicians, who were celebrated in that branch of workmanship. [[Egyptian]] cups were of various shapes, either with handles or without them. </p> <p> In Solomon's time, all his drinking vessels were of gold, none of silver. &nbsp;1 Kings 10:21. Babylon is compared to a golden cup. &nbsp;Jeremiah 51:7. The great laver, or "sea," was made with a rim like the rim of a cup, ( '''cos''' ), with flowers of lilies," &nbsp;1 Kings 7:26, a form which the Persepolitan cups resemble. The cups of the New Testament were often, no doubt, formed on Greek and Roman models. They were sometimes of gold. &nbsp;Revelation 17:4. </p>

<p> (Most frequently, כּוס , <i> ''''' kōṣ ''''' </i> ; four other words in one passage each; ποτήριον , <i> ''''' potḗrion ''''' </i> ): A vessel for drinking from, of a variety of material (gold, silver, earthenware), patterns (&nbsp;Esther 1:7 ) and elaboration. </p> <p> Figurative: By ordinary figure of speech, put sometimes for the contents of the cup, namely, for that which is drunk (&nbsp; Matthew 26:39 ). In both Old Testament and New Testament applied figuratively to that which is portioned out, and of which one is to partake; most frequently used of what is sorrowful, as God's judgments, His wrath, afflictions, etc. (&nbsp;Psalm 11:6; &nbsp;Psalm 75:8; &nbsp;Isaiah 51:17; &nbsp;Revelation 14:10 ). In a similar sense, used by Christ concerning the sufferings endured by Him (&nbsp;Matthew 26:39 ), and the calamities attending the confession of His name (&nbsp;Matthew 20:23 ). In the Old Testament applied also to the blessedness and joy of the children of God, and the full provision made for their wants (&nbsp;Psalm 16:5; &nbsp;Psalm 23:5; &nbsp;Psalm 116:13; compare &nbsp;Jeremiah 16:7; &nbsp;Proverbs 31:6 ). All these passages refer not only to the experience of an allotted joy and sorrow, but to the fact that all others share in this experience. Within a community of those having the same interests or lot, each received his apportioned measure, just as at a feast, each cup is filled for the individual to drain at the same time that his fellow-guests are occupied in the same way. </p> <p> The [[Holy]] Supper is called "the cup of the Lord" (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:21 ), since it is the Lord who makes the feast, and tenders the cup, just as "the cup of demons" with which it is contrasted, refers to what they offer and communicate. In &nbsp;1 Corinthians 11:25 , the cup is called "the new covenant in my blood," i.e. it is a pledge and seal and means of imparting the blessings of the new covenant (&nbsp;Hebrews 10:16 f) - a covenant established by the shedding of the blood of Christ. The use of the word "cup" for the sacrament shows how prominent was the part which the cup had in the Lord's Supper in apostolic times. Not only were all commanded to drink of the wine (&nbsp; Matthew 26:27 ), but the very irregularities in the [[Corinthian]] church point to its universal use (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 11:27 ). Nor does the Roman church attempt to justify its withholding the cup from the laity (the communion in one form) upon conformity with apostolic practice, or upon direct Scriptural authority. This variation from the original institution is an outgrowth of the doctrines of transubstantiation and sacramental concomitance, of the attempt to transform the sacrament of the Eucharist into the sacrifice of the Mass, and of the wide separation between clergy and laity resulting from raising the ministry to the rank of a sacerdotal order. The practice was condemned by Popes Leo I (died 461) and Gelasius (died 496); but gained a firm hold in the 12th century, and was enacted into a church regulation by the Council of Constance in 1415. See also Blessing , Cup Of . </p> <p> As to the use of cups for divination (&nbsp;Genesis 44:5 ), the reference is to superstitious practice derived from the Gentiles. For various modes of divining what is unknown by the pouring of water into bowls, and making observations accordingly, see Geikie, <i> Hours with the Bible </i> , I, 492 f, and article [[Divination]] . </p>