The Catholic Defender: "I will lift the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." Psalms 116: 13
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The "Cup of Salvation": This metaphor represents a public act of gratitude for God's deliverance from trouble.
Deliverance and Thanksgiving: In the Old Testament, lifting the cup was part of a "thank offering". It is an act of praise and public declaration of gratitude for God's rescue from peril, distress, or spiritual death.
The New Covenant: In the New Testament, this metaphor points directly to the Last Supper, where Jesus lifted the cup of wine and instituted Holy Communion. He declared it the "new covenant in my blood," symbolizing the ultimate salvation He would win through His sacrifice on the cross.
Contrast to the "Cup of Wrath": Throughout scripture, the "cup" often symbolizes a person's destiny or God's judgment. Jesus endured the "cup of God's wrath" (His suffering on the cross) so that believers could instead be offered the cup of eternal salvation and grace.
Jewish Seder Tradition (The Four Cups): In Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder includes "Four Cups" of wine, representing God's four promises of deliverance from Egypt: I will bring out, I will deliver, I will redeem, and I will take. The "cup of salvation" is commonly associated with the third cup, the Cup of Redemption
The four cups of wine at the Passover Seder represent the four promises of redemption made by God to the Israelites in Exodus 6:6-7. These cups structure the evening's ritual, marking specific transitions in the retelling of the Exodus story.
The Four Cups of Passover
Cup of Sanctification (Kiddush)
Promise: "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."
Purpose: Drunk at the very beginning of the Seder to set the night apart as holy.
Cup of Deliverance (Maggid)
Promise: "I will rescue you from their bondage."
Purpose: Drunk after the retelling of the Exodus story and the ten plagues.
Cup of Redemption (Birkat Hamazon)
Promise: "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm."
Purpose: Drunk after the festive meal and the blessing for the food; often associated with the New Covenant in Christian tradition.
Cup of Praise (Hallel)
Promise: "I will take you for My people, and I will be your God."
Purpose: Drunk after the recitation of the Hallel (Psalms of praise) to conclude the Seder.
Participants traditionally recline to the left while drinking as a sign of freedom and royalty.
A fifth cup is often poured but not drunk, set aside for the prophet Elijah in anticipation of future redemption.
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