One Cup Communion?

An individual once asked, “I recently learned that one of my cousins, in another state, has been attending a local church where they share a common cup during the communion portion of the service. Can you please help me find any Scripture that speaks to this?”

The text in Matthew 26:27 ASV reads: “And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.....

There is no Scripture that teaches that the church must use only one cup during the serving of the Lord’s Supper. Some brethren have misinterpreted the above text.

The use of the word “cup” in this verse is a form of a figure of speech known as metonymy, i.e., “when one thing is put for another.” The container is made to stand for or represent its contents, which in this case is "my blood of the covenant" (Matthew 26:28 ASV).

The following article by a faithful preacher of the gospel further addresses this issue: Are Multiple “Containers” Prohibited in the Distribution of the Lord’s Supper?

Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

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