When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, there was a brief display of bravado by Peter. He withdrew his sword and slashed off the ear of the servant of the Chief Priest, proving that Peter, for all of his tough guy persona, wasn’t much of a swordsman.
Here’s Jesus’ response: Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I’m not going to drink this cup the Father gave me? —John 18:11, The Message.
Only a few hours earlier, the disciples joined Jesus in a very puzzling Passover meal in which he asked them to drink from a cup representing his blood, and eat from a loaf of bread representing his body. Now Jesus reminds Peter that to complete God’s purpose, Jesus must be obedient to God’s will—he must drink from the cup that God has passed to him.
The cup of the Last Supper symbolized the reconciliation that Jesus would bring between God and humanity, as well as the price of our redemption from slavery. We are set free by the blood.
The cup of the Garden represents a road down which Jesus must walk in order to bring about that reconciliation. It symbolizes his destiny, including his suffering, abuse, humiliation, rejection and death.
That’s the dry analysis part. But what struck me when I read John 18:11 was the thought that we often, very often, try to avoid the cup the Father passes us, especially when that cup involves sacrifice, or discomfort, or deprivation, or loneliness, or embarrassment. And, at the same time, Christians often accept a cup that isn’t from God at all, out of a misplaced sense of duty, or guilt, or worry, or frustration, or pride.
I know people who work themselves into exhaustion serving the church because they (mistakenly, I believe) feel that God demands it of them—who is going to do these things if they don’t? And I know people who have rationalized their way out of a call to Christian ministry because it seemed to require too great a personal sacrifice. I’m guilty of both of those things.
Sometimes it’s hard to know whether the cup is from God or some salesman. Jesus had clarity about the cup God was passing to him, perhaps because he spent more time in prayer than I do.
Reminds me of the final scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: which cup of the many is the cup of the carpenter, the cup of Christ? May God give me the discernment to choose wisely, and the courage to drink it all.
Has the Holy Grail or Cup of Christ ever been found? If so where and when and why is it kept a secret? If not why not make it a global search? It is possibly already a global search if it was not found yet…
Who made the cup of christ?
Actually, the room used for the Last Supper, as well as the bread, the cup, the basin of water, etc. were all provided by an anonymous friend of Jesus. No mention who that person was, or exactly where the house was that Jesus used for this last meal.
So we don’t have a clue about what the cup looked like or where it came from or where it went afterwards. But it was probably part of the simple table ware owned by this anonymous friend, not a cup owned by Jesus himself.
Thanks for dropping by.
What thoughts do you people have on the book and movie the Davinci Code?
just as the ark of the covenant is not really found, so is the cup of christ…if it were as easy as in the indiana jones movies, we have another thing coming. but let’s just think for a moment that it is easy…if the ark of the covenant was found, we still would not be able to touch it since god did say that only certain pure tribe of isreal could carry the ark without it taking your life. it was said that it rests in ethiopia and it’s hard to believe…the cup of christ…if the truth of the cup supposedly would give you a long life or eternal-just saying from the indiana jones point of the movie and if there is a lot of people looking for it,and if they find it there would be a lot of killings for it just to have it…just think about it…i’m a firm believer of jesus christ as well and i believe god doesnt want it found…at least for now…james-p.s.this is just my thoughts on the subject which i’m curious as many are today of the whereabouts it might be…i dont wish to own it or drink from it…just that i will go with god and i hope for you all too…god bless you…
The holy grail was brought over to England by Joseph and buried in England This was already written. Is there any more proof that the cup of christ and the holy grail are one in the same if they are then i beleive it to be buried in the countryside in england
How would you know what is fact and what is fiction I beleive they are one in the same and that it is buried in england ,what do you know Charlie
its real the grail
&
the ark it will never be found !
THE CUP OF CHRIST COT JESUS’S BLOOD AT THE CRUSEVIKSHON.IT IS NOT MENT TO BE FOUND.IT IS WERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME CLUES IN THE BIBLE?.