The Four Cups at Passover

When Jesus first began the Lord's Supper, it was instituted in the midst of the Passover meal. On the Passover table would be roasted lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, a pastry mixture of nuts, fruit, and wine, and a raw vegetable dipped into a tart liquid. At various times during the meal, four cups of wine were consumed by the participants (Wilson 677). Each of these cups were highly symbolic helping Jews remember the richness of their heritage.

Especially meaningful to Christians would be the third and forth cups of wine on the Passover table.

The third cup, known as the "cup of blessing" reminded Jews of God's promise to redeem them from their Egyptian slavery (Exodus 6:6). It was apparently this cup that Jesus isolates out of the Passover meal and adopts as a memorial drink for Christian communion. Jesus uses redemption language when he takes the cup, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). Paul apparently references this when he speaks of the Lord's Supper cup when he writes, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10:16).
The forth cup of Passover was called the "cup of consummation" reminding Jews that God promised to take them as his people and unite them in the promised land (Exodus 6:7-8). Jesus apparently leaves this fourth cup sitting on the table and he says to his followers, "I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29).

After drinking the cup of his Last Supper, Jesus refrains from drinking the forth cup of Passover that represents God being together with his people united in the promised land (Lane 508-9). Jesus would soon be killed, buried, resurrected, and ascend back to his Father's house where he is preparing a place for his followers (John 14:1-4). Among Jesus' preparations is a great future banquet feast (Rev. 19:9). Jesus is waiting for all of his followers to come and join him. There we will all gather around his table. Only then will Jesus take up the forth cup. Then he will celebrate with us that his family has all joined together in that better land where we are his people and he is our God. Amen!

References:

Lane, William. The Gospel of Mark. (New International Commentary on the New Testament) Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974.

Wilson, M.R. "Passover." International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed. Rev. ed. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986.