Cup

Cup a wine-cup (Gen 40:11, 21), various forms of which are found on Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. All Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold (1Kings 10: 21). The cups mentioned in the New Testament were made after Roman and Greek models, and were sometimes of gold (Rev 17:4).

The art of divining by means of a cup was practiced in Egypt (Gen 44:2-17), and in the East generally.

The "cup of salvation" (Ps 116:13) is the cup of thanksgiving for the great salvation. The "cup of consolation" (Jer 16:7) refers to the custom of friends sending viands and wine to console relatives in mourning (Prov 31:6). In 1Cor 10:16, the "cup of blessing" is contrasted with the "cup of devils" (1Cor 10:21). The sacramental cup is the "cup of blessing," because of blessing pronounced over it (Matt 26:27; Luke 22:17). The "portion of the cup" (Ps 11:6; 16:5) denotes one's condition of life, prosperous or adverse. A "cup" is also a type of sensual allurement (Jer 51:7; Prov 23:31; Rev 17:4). We read also of the "cup of astonishment," the "cup of trembling," and the "cup of God's wrath" (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17; Jer 25:15; Lam 4:21; Ezek 23:32; Rev 16:19; comp. Matt 26:39, 42; John 18:11). The cup is also the symbol of death (Matt 16:28; Mark 9:1; Heb 2:9).