Cup No. 3 was drunk after the celebrators had eaten the Passover lamb and the unleavened bread. It was called “the cup of blessing” because of the blessing pronounced over it. (1 Cor. 10:16) Jesus “gave thanks” to God for the cup before sharing it with the apostles. Thus Jesus led in celebrating the Passover according to the accepted custom of the time. He did not alter or interrupt it by introducing anything new into the observance. In this way he kept the Law as a born Jew.

This fact is made very prominent by the account of the Passover of 33 C.E., as given by the Gospel writer Luke. In it we read:

“At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them: ‘I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ And, accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: ‘Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves; for I tell you, From now on I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the kingdom of God arrives.’