“Why
did Jesus speak about his death as “drinking” a “cup”?
What
cup is he talking about?”
In the Foreword to Scott Hahn’s book, The Fourth Cup
(2018), Dr. Brant Pitre writes:
Jesus of Nazareth was a
man of many mysteries. He taught in puzzling parables, he performed strange
signs and wonders, he asked riddle-like question after question. And his Jewish
disciples and the Jewish crowds he taught—although he frequently stumped them—loved
it.
But the
mysteries of Jesus didn’t end with his public ministry. According to the
Gospels, he continued to do and say puzzling things right up to the moment of
his death. One of the greatest riddles of Jesus’ Passion involves the
mysterious vow that he made during the Last Supper. On the night he was
betrayed, toward the end of the meal, Jesus solemnly declared that he would not
drink “the fruit of the vine” again until the coming of “the kingdom of God”
(Luke 22:18; cf. Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25). Later on, when he was on the way
to Golgotha and the soldiers tried to offer him wine, true to his word, “he
would not drink it” (Matthew 26:34; cf. Mark 14:23). On the other hand,
according to the Gospel of John, at the very last moment of his life, right
before he died on the cross, Jesus requested for wine to be given to him,
saying: “I thirst” (John 19:28). Even more mysterious, after drinking the wine
he declared, “It is finished,” bowed his head, and gave up his spirit (John
19:30).
What are we
to make of this riddle? How could Jesus vow at the Last Supper not to drink
wine again, refuse it on the way to the cross, then turn around and ask for a
drink right before he died? How can we reconcile Jesus’ words at the Last
Supper with his words on the cross? Was he breaking his vow? Or was something
else going on?
To top it
all off, there’s one more puzzle to ponder—one that takes place between
the upper room and Calvary. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was praying
about his death, he said something odd: “My Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew
26:39). And then again: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it,
your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). Now, if you were about to be crucified, is
this how you would have prayed? Why did Jesus speak about his death as
“drinking” a “cup”? What cup is he talking about?
In The
Fourth Cup, Dr. Scott Hahn gives us the keys to unlocking this mystery—the
mystery of the Last Supper and the cross. He does this in two ways: first, by
going back to the Jewish roots of Jesus’ words and deeds, and second, by
telling you the story of his own personal journey from Protestantism to
Catholicism. The result reads almost like a detective novel—an exhilarating
journey of discovery that will change the way you see the Last Supper, the
Passion of Christ, and the Eucharist forever.
I’ll never
forget the first time I heard one of Dr. Hahn’s presentations on the fourth
cup. I was completely blown away. It was like reading the Passion of Christ
again for the first time. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not as if I had spent nights
lying awake wondering why Jesus vowed never to drink wine again at the Last
Supper and why he asked for a drink on Good Friday. Nor had I wondered all that
much about why Jesus talked about his crucifixion as drinking a “cup.” I just
took these things for granted. But after listening to Dr. Hahn’s lecture, it
was like the pieces of a puzzle that I didn’t even realize were there suddenly
fell into place. What I had always wondered about was this: Why do
Catholics believe that the Eucharist is a sacrifice? Didn’t Jesus offer
himself “once and for all” on Calvary? What is the link between Jesus’ offering
of his body and blood at the Last Supper and his death on the cross?
If you’ve
ever wondered the same thing, or if you’ve ever celebrated a Passover seder, or
if you’ve ever just wanted to deepen your understanding of the Jewish roots of
the Eucharist, then I’ve got one message for you, read this book. And
don’t just read it. Pray about it. Reflect on it. And share it with others.
Because if
you’re anything like me, once you begin to see the mystery of the Last Supper
and the cross through ancient Jewish eyes, it will completely change your life.
For, as r. Hahn shows, the Passover of Jesus that began in the upper room and
was consummated on Calvary is still with us today. Whenever and wherever
Mass is celebrated, the Paschal Mystery—that is, the “Passover” mystery—is made
truly present. The Fourth Cup not only solves the mystery of Jesus’ vow,
it will also give you the missing link between the upper room and Golgotha and
help you to see more clearly how the sacrifice of Christ at the Last Supper and
the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary are the same sacrifice “poured out
for the forgiveness of sins” and the redemption of the world (Matthew 26:28).
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