Metaphysical meaning of cup (mbd)
cup (John 18:11).
Meta. "The cup which the Father hath given me" is the consciousness of eternal life. This must be attained by an utter crossing out, or crucifixion, of the personal self, both on its objective and subjective planes of volition; hence "they led him away" (John 18:12, A.V.) that other processes of the divine law might be carried out.
"Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). This was the cup of new spiritual life, which in this same chapter Jesus is recorded as having given to His disciples. When man affirms spiritual life he must be prepared to incorporate that life into his soul and his body. This incorporation is not always an easy task, because of the indifference of the faculties to spiritual ideas. One is therefore sorely tempted at times, when the changes being undergone seem so hard to the human, to pray that one may be allowed if possible, to go on under the old race thought instead of rising in soul and body to the place of actually putting on Christ (see Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27) in the fullness of what this term implies.
To drink of the cup (Matt. 20:22, 23) means to take in faith, believing, before one can fully understand. Only those who are prepared in the principle can understand the law of the principle. The working out of the just law places each one where he belongs.
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Preceding Entry: Cun
Following Entry: Cush
