To begin with Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 11, that we must be imitators of Christ…..
We celebrate Passover, because the angel of death passed over, in Egypt, due to the covering of the blood on the door posts, from an unblemished lamb, that had to die, to let others live!
As we will see further on, it all began in the book of Exodus!
Then we read in 1 Corinthians 11 verses 27; How important it is, to take this celebration of the Lord’s supper, which is the Passover, we are not to take it lightly.
Paul says here, and I quote, “ whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.” And further down, 29: For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body. For this reason many among you are weak and sick.
Way too many times, I have seen guests, come to a church, friends brought them, and communion happens to be celebrated, and even if the pastor explains all about it, they don’t really know what they are doing….
This is totally wrong….
The least people can do is explain to their friends, who come with them, not to take part and more importantly,..... why!
The four/five cups of Passover
The four cups of Passover are a picture of God’s deliverance of Israel.
For Christians this also points to their own deliverance since Jesus our Messiah descends from the Jewish people.
Learning about the Passover overall can be so important for the Christian and deepen their walk with the Lord.
1st cup: The Cup of Sanctification
Exodus 6: 6 Therefore say to Bnei-Yisrael: "I am Adonai, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments."
Just as Adonai brought Israel out from under the bondage of the Egyptians, He also brings us out of the bondage of sin and death and brings His people into the promised Messianic Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 1:30: It is his doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well!
2nd cup; The Cup of Deliverance
Exodus 6:6; again says: 'I will deliver you from their bondage…"
While the nation of Israel were slaves in Egypt, we too experience deliverance from slavery as Yeshua delivers us from slavery to sin and death!
Romans 6:20: For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relationship to righteousness;
3rd cup; The Cup of Redemption
( this is the cup Jesus took at the last supper with His disciples, and this could well be the “cup” he was referring to in the garden when he prayed, “Take this cup from me, but not My will, but Thy will)
We go back again to Exodus 6:6: …"and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments." Adonai redeemed the Jewish people for Himself. As believers, we experienced redemption through Yeshua!
His blood was shed on the cross as a final atonement, as a payment for sins.
His arms outstretched on a tree, He gave Himself up for us to pay the price that was ours to pay!
The One who knew no sin became sin for us and He paid our debt. He took the curse of sin on Himself in our place.
Galatians 3:13: The Messiah redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the Torah by becoming cursed on our behalf; for the Tanakh says, “Everyone who hangs from a stake comes under a curse.”
This is referring to Deuteronomy 21:22-23 which says:
"Suppose a man is guilty of a sin with a death sentence and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree. His body is not to remain all night on the tree—instead you must certainly bury him the same day, for anyone hanged is a curse of God. You must not defile your land that Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance."( and it was a tree, that they hung Jesus on, not the nicely hewn cross we see in paintings etc.)
The 4th cup; The Cup of Hillel (Praise or Acceptance)
Exodus 6:7;
"I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Adonai your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."
This is the cup Yeshua speaks of in Matthew 26:29:
"But I say to you, I will never 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."
It is this last of the Passover cups that has the Jewish people look toward their acceptance into the Kingdom of the Father!
As a believer, you look forward to the hope that is in your acceptance through Yeshua the Messiah and how He is your hope and your praise to the glory of God!
Reflection
Passover for the Jewish people is a time to reflect on God’s plan for mankind since the foundations of the earth.
It is a time to reflect on how our God is a redeeming God and how He does not EVER abandon the people He has set apart for Himself.
For Messianic Jews and also for Christian Gentiles alike, we reflect on the time we are with Yeshua in the Messianic Kingdom!
I hope you find this helpful in understanding the four cups of the Passover Seder!
( A fifth cup is reserved for the prophet Elijah in hopes he will visit during the celebration; representing future redemption, it is left unconsumed.)
Why four cups?
The words "cup of wine" are mentioned four times in Pharaoh's butler's dream (Genesis 40:11-13, I checked it does)
Now, people also call the Passover “Pesach” so what is the difference?
The Seder is supposed to take place with everyone in a reclining position.
Because slaves ate hurriedly; and the Jews then, were slaves, they ate hurriedly
It seems it was called Seder, later....as that is what it was called in the new testament, but it means the same, and the affluent and free were able to recline on cushions, as they would have in the days of Jesus,
which goes to show how wrong the painting of “the last supper” is!
CJB – Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998.
And, when the Lord rose from the grave..... no unbelievers saw Him....only believers did!
(A little paraphrased in a few places by me) Blessings...
Yaddy
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