After stopping Peter's attack, Jesus asks, 'the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?' The arrest and coming death are described as a cup he willingly accepts.
Jesus in Context
The Cup the Father Has Given Me
Jesus' 'cup' is a biblical metaphor for an appointed portion, often suffering or divine judgment, and here expresses his willing acceptance of the Passion given by the Father.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
In Israel's Scriptures, a cup can symbolize the portion assigned to someone and frequently appears as an image of divine judgment or suffering, as in the Psalms and prophets. To 'drink' the cup is therefore to undergo the appointed experience. John's wording does not portray Jesus as passively trapped by events; the cup is received from the Father and deliberately accepted.
Why It Matters
The idiom gives theological meaning to the arrest without making the human actions unreal. Authorities arrest Jesus and disciples fail him, yet Jesus understands the Passion within the Father's purpose.
His refusal of Peter's sword follows directly from that conviction.