Topical Bible: Cups

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In biblical times, cups were common household items used for drinking and held significant symbolic meaning in various scriptural contexts. The Hebrew word often translated as "cup" is "kôs," and in Greek, it is "potērion." Cups appear in both the Old and New Testaments, serving as practical utensils and powerful symbols.

Old Testament Usage

Cups in the Old Testament were primarily used for drinking, as seen in Genesis 40:11, where Pharaoh's cupbearer recounts his dream: "Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in his hand." This passage highlights the role of the cupbearer, a trusted position in ancient royal courts.

Cups also appear in prophetic and poetic literature, often symbolizing God's judgment or blessing. In Psalm 23:5, the psalmist declares, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Here, the overflowing cup signifies abundance and divine favor.

Conversely, the cup can represent divine wrath. In Isaiah 51:17, the prophet warns Jerusalem: "Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes men stagger." This imagery of a cup of wrath is a recurring theme, symbolizing the consequences of disobedience and sin.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, cups continue to hold symbolic significance, particularly in the teachings of Jesus. During the Last Supper, Jesus uses a cup to institute the Lord's Supper, a central sacrament in Christian worship. In Matthew 26:27-28, Jesus takes a cup, gives thanks, and offers it to His disciples, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." The cup here represents the new covenant and the sacrificial blood of Christ.

The cup also appears in the context of suffering and sacrifice. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). The cup symbolizes the impending suffering and crucifixion that Jesus is about to endure, highlighting His submission to the Father's will.

Additionally, the Apostle Paul references the cup in 1 Corinthians 10:16, where he speaks of the "cup of blessing" in the context of the Lord's Supper: "Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ?" This underscores the communal and covenantal aspects of the Christian faith.

Symbolism and Themes

Throughout the Bible, cups serve as symbols of both blessing and judgment. They represent the abundance of God's provision and the severity of His justice. The dual nature of the cup as a symbol reflects the broader biblical themes of covenant, sacrifice, and divine sovereignty.

In summary, cups in the Bible are more than mere vessels for drinking; they are rich in symbolic meaning, illustrating key theological concepts and the profound truths of God's relationship with humanity.

Greek

4221. poterion -- a wine cup
... God allots. Word Origin a dim. form derivation from pino Definition a wine
cup NASB Word Usage cup (30), cups (1). cup. Neuter of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4221.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

1375. gabia -- a cup, bowl
... 1374, 1375. gabia. 1376 . a cup, bowl. Transliteration: gabia Phonetic
Spelling: (gheb-ee'-ah) Short Definition: cups. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/1375.htm - 6k

5592a. saph -- a basin, goblet
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a basin, goblet NASB Word Usage basin
(2), basins (1), bowls (1), cup (1), cups (2). 5592, 5592a. ...
/hebrew/5592a.htm - 5k

3563a. kos -- a cup
... a cup. Transliteration: kos Short Definition: cup. Word Origin of uncertain derivation
Definition a cup NASB Word Usage chalice* (2), cup (28), cups (1). ...
/hebrew/3563a.htm - 5k

Library

Cups Running Over
... CHAPTER 2 CUPS RUNNING OVER. ... Under the Blood. Only one thing prevents Jesus filling
our cups as He passes by, and that is sin in one of its thousand forms. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 2 cups running over.htm

The Feast of the Lord
... that Christ doth always give the best wine last"that he doth save the good things
until the end of the feast; nay, that sometimes the first cups at the table ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the feast of the lord.htm

Discourse Pronounced at a Feast against the Hypocrisy of the ...
... him at the feast. "You Pharisees make the cups and dishes clean outside,
but. leave them full of dirt within. So you are careful ...
/.../section 166 discourse pronounced at.htm

Wine is Used Along with Incense; and of This...
... 4905] food of cakes and pottages, and victims slain in honour of them, do they drench
themselves, and make themselves merry with very frequent cups of wine ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/29 wine is used along.htm

Admitting that all These Things which do the Immortal Gods ...
... But, that this might be done more speedily, the king filled many [4282] cups with
wine and with mead, [4283] and placed them about the approaches to the ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/1 admitting that all these.htm

Of the Holy Spirit and the Mystery of the Trinity.
... may be spoken of, without any absurdity, as three woods; at least all parties admit
the force of the former example,"namely, that if three cups be filled out ...
/.../augustine/a treatise on faith and the creed /chapter 9 of the holy spirit.htm

Perfection in Faith
... this world. No man had any right to take wine for his own drinking, and
drink it out of the golden cups of the sanctuary. If he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/perfection in faith.htm

On Costly Vessels.
... And so the use of cups made of silver and gold, and of others inlaid with precious
stones, is out of place, being only a deception of the vision. ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter iii on costly vessels.htm

The Church.
... Nothing is more natural to the church, while in a wilderness condition, than such
cups and draughts as the cup of the Lord's fury, the cup of trembling, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxi the church.htm

Never a Man Like Him
... they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not, and many other things
there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots ...
/.../mark/jesus of nazareth a biography/chapter vii never a man.htm

Thesaurus

Cups (28 Occurrences)
...Cups (28 Occurrences). ... Exodus 25:29 And make the table-vessels, the spoons and the
cups and the basins for liquids, all of the best gold. (BBE DBY YLT). ...
/c/cups.htm - 15k

Blossoms (16 Occurrences)
... Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups,
its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it. (See NIV). ...
/b/blossoms.htm - 11k

Basins (33 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV). Exodus 25:29 And make the table-vessels,
the spoons and the cups and the basins for liquids, all of the best gold. (BBE). ...
/b/basins.htm - 16k

Flower (33 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:33 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower;
and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a ...
/f/flower.htm - 18k

Buds (20 Occurrences)
... Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups,
its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it. (WEB BBE NIV). ...
/b/buds.htm - 12k

Bud (23 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:33 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower;
and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a ...
/b/bud.htm - 14k

Almond-blossoms (4 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:33 three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower;
and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and ...
/a/almond-blossoms.htm - 7k

Shaped (10 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:33 three cups shaped like almonds in the one branch, a knob and a flower:
and three cups shaped like almonds in the other branch, a knob and a flower ...
/s/shaped.htm - 9k

Flowers (42 Occurrences)
... Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups,
its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it. ...
/f/flowers.htm - 22k

Almond (7 Occurrences)
... "Cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop (ie knob) and a flower,"
is the description given of parts of the sacred candlesticks. ...
/a/almond.htm - 14k

Resources

What is the menorah? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Haggadah / Aggadah? | GotQuestions.org

Is intinction the correct way to do communion? | GotQuestions.org

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Concordance

Cups (28 Occurrences)

Mark 7:4
They don't eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 7:8
"For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men-the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things."
(WEB KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 25:29
And make the table-vessels, the spoons and the cups and the basins for liquids, all of the best gold.
(BBE DBY YLT)

Exodus 25:31
"You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 25:33
three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the lampstand;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 25:34
and in the lampstand four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 37:16
And all the table-vessels, the plates and spoons and basins and the cups for liquids, he made of the best gold.
(BBE DBY YLT)

Exodus 37:17
He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 37:19
three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 37:20
In the lampstand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 4:7
"On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it.
(WEB ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Numbers 7:84
This was the dedication-gift of the altar, on the day when it was anointed, from the princes of Israel: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve cups of gold:
(DBY)

Numbers 7:86
twelve golden cups full of incense, each cup of ten shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the cups, a hundred and twenty shekels.
(DBY)

1 Kings 7:41
The two pillars and the two cups of the crowns which were on the tops of the two pillars; and the network covering the two cups of the crowns on the tops of the pillars,
(BBE)

1 Kings 7:42
And the four hundred apples for the network, two lines of apples for every network, covering the two cups of the crowns on the pillars;
(BBE)

1 Kings 7:50
and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, of gold.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV)

2 Kings 12:13
But there were not made for the house of Yahweh cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS)

2 Kings 25:14
The cauldrons also and the shovels and the knives and the cups, and all the vessels of copper wherewith they ministered, they took away.
(DBY)

1 Chronicles 28:17
and the forks, and the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl;
(WEB KJV ASV BBE WBS YLT RSV)

2 Chronicles 4:12
The two pillars, and the two crowns on the tops of the pillars, and the network covering the two cups of the crowns on the tops of the pillars;
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 4:13
And the four hundred apples for the network, two lines of apples for the network covering the two cups of the crowns on the pillars.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 4:22
and the knives, and the bowls, and the cups, and the censers, of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, the inner folding-doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house, of the temple, of gold.
(DBY)

2 Chronicles 24:14
And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and they made of it vessels for the house of Jehovah, utensils to minister, and with which to offer up, and cups, and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered up burnt-offerings in the house of Jehovah continually all the days of Jehoiada.
(DBY)

Isaiah 22:24
They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, every small vessel, from the cups even to all the pitchers.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS RSV)

Isaiah 65:11
But as for you who have given up the Lord, who have no care for my holy mountain, who get ready a table for Chance, and make offerings of mixed wine to Fate;
(See NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 35:5
I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, Drink wine!
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 52:18
The pots also, and the shovels, and the knives, and the bowls, and the cups, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, they took away.
(DBY)

Jeremiah 52:19
The cups, and the fire pans, and the basins, and the pots, and the lampstands, and the spoons, and the bowls-that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver,-the captain of the guard took away.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Cups

Related Terms

Bridle (12 Occurrences)

Bit (46 Occurrences)

Check (9 Occurrences)

Curbed (1 Occurrence)

Cups (28 Occurrences)

Jacob's (34 Occurrences)

Limit (115 Occurrences)

Integrity (46 Occurrences)

Restrain (31 Occurrences)