the chief butler's dream (Gen 40:9-15), or to the four cups of vengeance which God

would in the future give the nations to drink (Jer 25:15; 51:7; Psa 75:8; 11:6), while four

cups of consolation would be handed to Israel, as it is written: 'The Lord is the portion

of my cup' (Psa 16:5); 'My cup runneth over' (Psa 23:5); 'I will take the cup of salvation'

(Psa 116:13), 'which,' it is added, 'was two'--perhaps from a second allusion to it in verse

17. In connection with this the following parabolic story from the Talmud may possess

some interest: 'The holy and blessed God will make a feast for the righteous in the day

that His mercy shall be shown to the seed of Israel. After they have eaten and drunk,

they give the cup of blessing to Abraham our father. But he saith: I cannot bless it,

because Ishmael came from me. Then he gives it to Isaac. But he saith: I cannot bless it,

because Esau came from me. Then he hands it to Jacob. But he saith: I cannot take it,

because I married two sisters, which is forbidden in the Law. He saith to Moses: Take it

and bless it. But he replies: I cannot, because I was not counted worthy to come into the

land of Israel, either alive or dead. He saith to Joshua: Take it and bless it. But he

answers: I cannot, because I have no son. He saith to David: Take it and bless it. And

he replies: I will bless it, and it is fit for me so to do, as it is written, "I will take the cup of

salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord."'

As detailed in the earliest Jewish record of ordinances --the Mishnah--the service of

the Paschal Supper was exceedingly simple. Indeed, the impression left on the mind is,

that, while all the observances were fixed, the prayers, with some exceptions preserved

to us, were free. Rabbi Gamaliel, the teacher of St. Paul, said (Pes. x. 15): 'Whoever does

not explain three things in the Passover has not fulfilled the duty incumbent on him.

These three things are: the Passover lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.

The Passover lamb means that God passed over the blood-sprinkled place on the

houses of our fathers in Egypt; the unleavened bread means that our fathers were

delivered out of Egypt (in haste); and the bitter herbs mean that the Egyptians made

bitter the lives of our fathers in Egypt.' A few additional particulars are necessary to

enable the reader to understand all the arrangements of the Paschal Supper. From the

time of the evening-sacrifice nothing was to be eaten till the Paschal Supper, so that all

might come to it with relish (Pes, x. 1). It is a moot point, whether at the time of our Lord

two, or, as at present, three, large cakes of unleavened bread were used in the service.

The Mishnah mentions (Pes. ii. 6) these five kinds as falling within the designation of

'bitter herbs,' viz. lettuce, endive, succory (garden endive?), what is called 'Charchavina'

(urtica, beets?), and horehound (bitter coriander?). The 'bitter herbs' seem to have been

twice partaken of during the service, once dipped in salt water or vinegar, and a second

time with Charoseth, a compound of dates, raisins, etc., and vinegar, though the

Mishnah expressly declares (Pes. x. 3) that Charoseth was not obligatory. Red wine

alone was to be used at the Paschal Supper, and always mixed with water. 127

Each of the four cups must contain at least the fourth of a quarter of an hin (the hin =

one gallon two pints). Lastly, it was a principle that, after the Paschal meal, they had no

Aphikomen (after-dish), an expression which may perhaps best be rendered by 'dessert.'

The Paschal Supper itself commenced by the head of 'the company' taking the first cup

of wine in his hand, and 'giving thanks' over it in these words: 'Blessed art Thou,

Jehovah our God, who has created the fruit of the vine! Blessed art Thou, Jehovah our

God King of the Universe, who hast chosen us from among all people, and exalted us

from among all languages, and sanctified us with Thy commandments! And Thou hast

give us, O Jehovah our God, in love, the solemn days for joy, and the festivals and

appointed seasons for gladness; and this the day of the feast of unleavened bread, the