The ancient legend of the Holy Grail is the story of how people may spend their entire lives in the quest for something sacred. It all begins at the foot of the cross on the evening we refer to as Good Friday. A man named Joseph of Arimathea went to the governor, Pontius Pilate, and asked permission to bury the body of Jesus. He then went to the cross and looked up at Jesus. In his possession was the golden chalice from which Jesus and the apostles drank from at the Last Supper. Joseph took the golden cup and held it toward Jesus' side. Blood from the wound inflicted with a spear by the Roman soldier flowed into the cup. After burying Jesus in a new tomb, Joseph and his followers then took the cup to Glastonbury in England. It was there that he formed an order of the knights whose assignment was to guard and protect the precious chalice. The chief of these knights was made their king. One of the most famous kings was King Arthur and Sir Galahad was one of the most valiant knights. The chalice became known as the Holy Grail. (The term "grail" comes from the Latin gradale, which meant a dish brought to the table during various stages or courses of a meal.)
Legend says that at certain times the king unveiled the golden cup that had held the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Only the most noble, valiant and pure of heart could look upon the cup. When the knights looked upon the chalice a radiant light fell on their faces as they beheld the glorious sight which filled them with rapture and strength from on high. Legend holds that many years later the chalice vanished and throughout history there has been an everlasting search to find the Holy Grail.
The legend of the Holy Grail is an interesting story of humankind's search for the sacred. Will anyone ever find this first grail? Perhaps it will truly be a never ending search. However, there is a second story to the grail which is not a legend. It is the story of Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messiah. He is the anointed One, the Christ. The cup which He drank at the Last Supper with His apostles we still celebrate to this day. During this Passover meal, Jesus explained that he would be the Lamb of God. The symbolism of the Passover meal under the Old Covenant would be transformed through His crucifixion. The bread would now represent His own body and the cup His own blood which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins. It was through the shed blood of Christ that the search was now over. A dynamic, energizing, and transforming personal relationship with the Lord was now possible. Perhaps the apostle Paul said it best in Romans 5:8: "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
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