What Old Testament practices connect with Jesus' actions in Luke 22:17? The Scene in Luke 22:17 “And He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves.’” (Luke 22:17) Jesus’ simple act of lifting a cup, blessing God, and passing it around the table sits on a rich Old-Testament foundation. Passover Meal Roots • Exodus 12:1-14 – God commands the annual memorial of Israel’s deliverance. • By Jesus’ day, four cups structured the Passover evening (drawn from Exodus 6:6-7): – Cup 1 – Sanctification (“I will bring you out”) – Cup 2 – Deliverance (“I will deliver you”) – Cup 3 – Redemption (“I will redeem you”) – Cup 4 – Praise (“I will take you as My people”) • Luke 22:17 most naturally parallels the first or second cup, opened with the traditional Kiddush blessing: “Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.” • The command “divide it among yourselves” reflects the communal nature of the Passover table—every participant receives the same cup of God’s saving work. Blessing the Cup • Deuteronomy 8:10 – “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God.” Giving thanks over food and drink was embedded in Israel’s life. • Psalm 103:1 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul,” a call embodied by Jesus as He vocalizes gratitude. • The Hebrew root for blessing over the cup (barak) and the Greek verb Luke uses (eucharisteō) both stress thankful praise. Drink Offerings with Sacrifices • Numbers 15:5; 28:7 – wine was “poured out to the LORD” beside daily lambs. • Exodus 29:40 – a quarter-hin of wine accompanied each burnt offering. • These libations foreshadow a life poured out; Jesus’ later words about His blood (v. 20) mirror the drink offering imagery already introduced when He lifts the cup. Communal Covenant Meals • Exodus 24:9-11 – Moses, Aaron, and the elders “saw God, and they ate and drank.” • Deuteronomy 12:17-18 – worshipers were to eat sacrificial meals “before the LORD … rejoicing.” • 1 Samuel 9:13 – Samuel gathers guests to “eat today, for I have invited the people.” Sharing a sacred meal in God’s presence sealed relationship; Jesus involves His disciples in the same covenant fellowship. The Cup of Salvation and the Cup of Wrath • Psalm 116:13 – “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.” • Isaiah 51:22 – “I have taken from your hand the cup of trembling … the goblet of My wrath.” Jesus raises the cup promising salvation for His followers, while He alone will drink the cup of wrath at the cross (cf. Luke 22:42). From Symbol to Fulfillment • Passover deliverance, sacrificial drink offerings, covenant meals, and prophetic cups all converge in Jesus’ hands. • By taking, blessing, and sharing the cup, He anchors the coming New-Covenant reality (vv. 19-20) firmly in God’s established patterns. • The disciples’ first sip in Luke 22:17 is thus more than tradition; it is the threshold where centuries of Scripture meet their fulfillment in Christ. |
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