The Fifth Cup

It is Monday before Maundy Thursday. I am preparing a homily on the Lord's Supper and reflecting on how, in a single meal, Jesus changed a ritual that had been in existence for almost 1500 years. I think of the time he said, "I have not come to abolish the Law, I have come to fulfill it. I think Jesus fulfilled the Seder meal in the presence of his disciples by giving a NEW meaning to a special portion of unleavened bread and by his drinking the 5th cup, the 'Cup of Elijah'. The Jews of today still use this cup during their yearly observance of Passover.

There are 4 cups of wine that are drunk during the Seder meal. They are based on 4 promises of God to the Israelites while they were in bondage in Egypt. Look at Exodus 6: 6-7. Just prior to this, God has said, "I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant."
The next verse: "Therefore, say to the Israelites, 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians'."

Jesus followed the ancient liturgy except for 2 exceptions. At the beginning of the meal there are 3 loaves of unleavened bread(some suggest for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). When the meal begins the celebrant blesses the 'Holy One and His Shekinah', then speaks about the bread: 'This is the bread of affliction eaten in Egypt. Whoever is hungry, come and eat; whoever is in need, come to this meal'. Then the leader takes the 2nd matzah, breaks it into 2 pieces, one small one larger. The larger portion of unleavened bread(for Isaac, Abe's son??) is hidden away til the end of the meal; the smaller piece is placed back between the whole matzahs. The liturgy of remembrance continues.

The first cup blesses the meal - it is the cup of holiness/sanctification('I will bring you out').
The second cup is the cup of deliverance('I will free you').
The third cup is the cup of redemption('I will redeem you').
The fourth cup is the cup of completion('I will take you as my own people').
The four cups are consumed during the meal.
The hidden piece of unleavened bread called the afikoman, is 'found' at the end and shared among all members at the meal. This is to recall the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb for the Jews.
It is DESSERT.
Then the people sing pslams of praise.
The fifth cup remains full and untouched, because it repesents to the Jews the return of Elijah, who will announce the Messianic Age at the end of the age.

It makes good sense to some scholars, as well as myself, that Jesus would have waited til the end of the meal before shaking things up in such an amazing and frightening way. I believe he would have led the participants through the complete ritual, remembering all the important details of the Exodus. At the end, however, I believe he fulfilled the meal of remembrance - he became the Paschal Lamb - and announced Messiah in their midst.

In taking the afikoman from its hiding place(prefiguring his own hidden burial?), Jesus would have blessed God, broken the bread and given it to all his friends. When he said, 'Take it; this is my body', his disciples' heads must have jerked up in astonishment. This was NOT according to tradition! And then - in a move that has such great importance for the entire world - Jesus reached for the cup of Elijah - blessed God for it - and said to his stunned friends, 'This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. As often as you do this - Remember me'.

The modern Jewish community still keeps the cup of Elijah filled and waiting for his return. They also sometimes use a sixth cup to represent the Jews who are still being persecuted and who cannot celebrate Passover.

Jesus came to fulfill the Law. He fulfilled it in his role as both host and sacrifice in that Last Supper. And he reminded the witnesses to 'Do it in remembrance of ME.'

I believe Jesus changed the liturgy of the 'hidden piece' and drank from that 5th cup at the end of the meal; and made sure all of his disciples ate it all and drained every last drop before the meal ended.

Wouldn't your head have been spinning about then? Mine would have, even without all the wine!

Some folks call it 'Holy Thursday' or 'Maundy Thursday' from the Latin word 'mandatum', which means 'command'. Jesus tells his disciples to 'Love one another as I have loved you'.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!