Luke 22:17

And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I shall not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

The cup here in view was not the cup of the Lord's Supper, but the cup of the simulated Jewish Passover, being observed by Jesus' disciples a day earlier than the stated time, but which Jesus did not observe. This understanding is clear from the following summary of the pattern for the Passover meal, described by Farrar:

1. Each drank a cup of wine, "the cup of consecration," followed by a blessing.

2. Hands were washed, a table carried in, on which were bitter herbs, unleavened bread, the paschal lamb, dates and vinegar.

3. The father dipped a morsel of unleavened bread and bitter herbs, about the size of an olive (the sop), in the vinegar, giving it to each in turn.

4. A second cup of wine was poured, and the passover story was rehearsed.

5. The first part of a special song, the Hallel, was sung.

6. Grace was said and a benediction pronounced, after which the food, as in (3), was further distributed to all.

7. The paschal lamb was eaten and a third cup of wine was had.

8. After another thanksgiving, a fourth cup, the cup of "joy," was drunk.

9. The rest of the Hallel was sung.[10]

Now it was after this supper that the Lord instituted the Lord's Supper. "After supper" is specifically designated as the time (1 Corinthians 11:25). No lamb of any kind was in evidence at this supper.

The cup in view in this verse was connected with the simulated passover and not the Lord's Supper. As John Wesley put it:

"And he took the cup -" the cup that was used to be brought at the beginning of the paschal solemnity. "And said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I will not drink ..." As if he had said, Do not expect me to drink it: I will drink no more before I die.[11]

[10] George R. Bliss, op. cit., pp. 313-314.

[11] John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament (Naperville, Illinois: Alec. R. Allenson, Inc., 1950), p. 286.