Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul wrote, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (New King James Version)
Something has already been said about the term “The cup of blessing which we bless.” The language is clearly an allusion to a similarly worded passage in Mishnah Berakhoth 6:1. It should be noted that “Berakhoth” simply means a benediction, or a blessing. Different blessings were prescribed for different occasions. Specifically, Mishnah Berakhoth 6:1, line D, prescribed the blessing given for wine. A complete quote of Mishnah Berakhoth 6:1 is justified.
A. What blessing does one recite over produce?
B. Over fruit of a tree he says, [“Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe] Creator of the fruit of the tree,”
C. except for wine.
D. For over wine he says, “Creator of the fruit of the vine.”
E. And over produce of the earth [vegetables] he says, “Creator of the fruit of the ground,”
F. except for loaves [of bread].
G. For over the loaf he says, “Who brings forth bread from the earth,”
H. And over greens he says, “Creator of the fruit of the ground.” I. R. Judah says, “Creator of kinds of herbs.”
Over a cup filled with wine, the Jews were to bless the Lord, by saying, ““Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.”
The Jewish custom was the source of Paul’s designation of “the cup of blessing.” Regarding I Corinthians 10:16, Leonhard Goppelt wrote, “The eucharistic formula handed down in the community (1 C. 10:16), from which Paul draws conclusions about participation in pagan feasts (vv. 17-22), takes over from Jewish table practice the term το ποτηριον της ευλογιας …and calls the eucharistic cup the cup of blessing” (“ποτηριον” [cup], Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume VI, page 156).