Mark 16
Mark 16 is a shorthand for the 16th and final chapter of the
Gospel of Mark. There is evidence that verses 16:9-20 are not part of the original document, but an ancient completion of it. It has been suggested (by C.H.Roberts) that the original was in fact a codex, and the last leaf or leaves were lost. Some ancient scribe then added a brief summary from other sources; but not all manuscripts were so amended, and patristic writers were aware of the issue.
Internal Evidence
The main writer appears to have been responsible for verses 16:1-8 alone, while verses 16:9-20 were added by someone different. Verses 16:8-9 run like this in the King James Bible:
- 16:8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. 9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Note the way the subject changes abruptly from "they were afraid" to "Now when
Jesus was risen". In
Greek, "for they were afraid" is εφοβουντο γαρ,
ephobounto gar, literally "they-were-afraid because". This is very odd Greek. Like its
Latin equivalent
enim, the Greek conjunction γαρ,
gar, means "because" and takes second place in a sentence or clause. It almost never ends a sentence in this way and this is, indeed, the only example in the whole of the New Testament. In the rest of Mark, for example,
gar is used in the conventional way:
- 3:10 Πολλους γαρ [gar] εθεραπευσεν ωστε επιπιπτειν αυτω ινα αυτου αψωνται οσοι ειχον μαστιγας.
- 3:10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
- 6:20 Ο γαρ [gar] Ηρωδης εφοβειτο τον Ιωαννην ειδως αυτον ανδρα δικαιον και αγιον.
- 6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy.
- 13:33 Βλεπετε αγρυπνειτε και προσευχεσθε ουκ οιδατε γαρ [gar] ποτε ο καιρος εστιν.
- 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Textual Evidence
The language of the gospel suggests, that part of the original manuscript was lost or incomplete after 16:8, and that a later hand added 16:9-20, describing appearances by the resurrected Christ in a different style and using a different Greek vocabulary. Textual variations between the older texts support this conclusion.
- Many of the oldest manuscripts omit verses 16:9-20, ending the gospel with 16:8. These include the 4th century Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, the Sinatic Syriac manuscript, many Old Armenian manuscripts, the Adysh and Opiza manuscripts of the Old Georgian version, and a number of Ethiopic manuscripts. Further, early Christian writers like Clement of Alexandria and Origen have no knowledge of these verses, and Jerome notes that this section is missing in the ''Greek copies" known to him.
- Many manuscripts either replace this section with what is known as the Shorter Ending or Intermediate Ending. This is found in several uncial manuscripts of the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries, as well as a few minuscule manuscripts and some older Coptic and Ethiopian texts, as well as some ancient texts like the Old Latin Codex Bobbensis. Many mansucripts containing the Shorter Ending follow it with 16:9-20, such as the Codex Bobbensis and the Codex Regius of the 8th century.
- Textual critics refer to the text of 16:9-20 as the Long Ending, which is found in the Textus Receptus and many manuscripts related to it, the Codex Bezae, the Codex Koridethi of the ninth century (which was found in Koridethi in the Caucasus, and the majority of later texts. It is first attested by Tatian, who included it in his Diatessaron.
- An expanded form of the Long Ending was mentioned by Jerome, who furnished our only knowledge of this variant until 1906 when Charles L Freer purchased a uncial manuscript that contained it. (This manuscript is now at the Freer Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C).
- Eusebius of Caesarea discusses the question in his 'Quaestiones ad Marinum', and notes that while many manuscripts contain the passage, those he considers better do not:
1. The solution of this question is twofold. One deletes the head of the matter itself, that is the section in which it is narrated, says that it is not present in all exemplars of the gospel according to Mark. For the accurate codices end the history according to Mark in the word of the young man saying to the women "Do not be afraid: you seek Jesus of Nazareth" and the rest which likewise follows, "...". For in this place all the exemplars of the Gospel of Mark finish.
However the things that follow occasionally in some, not in all, are seen to be superfluous, especially if they disagree with the words of the other gospels. Thus perhaps says someone, avoiding and entirely killing the question.
But another indeed which daring to delete nothing entirely of that which the evangelical scriptures have entrusted [to us], says that the reading is double, as repeatedly elsewhere; and on both sides is to be received; of which the judgement of the believing and religious rather holds to this than that.
- An Armenian manuscript, written in A.D. 986, ascribes them to a presbyter named Ariston, who may be the same with the presbyter Aristion, mentioned by Papias as a contemporary of St. John in Asia.
See also: Gospel of Mark
External Link
For and against the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20