Mark 10:35

35. [2308][2309][2310][2311][2312][2313] have αὐτῷ after λέφοντες.

[2308] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mark 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2309] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mark 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2310] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mark 1:17 to Mark 6:31; Mark 8:5 to Mark 12:29; Mark 13:19 to Mark 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[2311] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mark 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2312] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mark 1:1 to Mark 10:15; Mark 10:30 to Mark 15:1; Mark 15:20 to Mark 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mark 16:8 and Mark 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2313] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

35. This request is evidence of the Apostles’ want of apprehension as to the nature of the Kingdom. Even if there was an interval, which Mt. excludes with his characteristic τότε, it was strange, but hardly “comic” (Bruce), that soon after this detailed prediction of His approaching sufferings and death, two of His most favoured Apostles should trouble Him with an ambitious petition. Perhaps Mt. felt this, for he puts the petition into the mouth of their mother. Tradition probably said that in some way she was responsible for the petition being made, and it looks like a mother’s ambition. But they were parties to it, and even in Mt. Christ addresses them and not her. They and Peter had received a special revelation on the mount; and soon afterwards first Peter exhibits a selfish ambition on behalf of all the Twelve (Mark 10:23), and then James and John do so on their own behalf. Christ’s promise about the twelve thrones (Matthew 19:28) was remembered; the present journey to Jerusalem was to produce a crisis of some kind (Mark 10:33); and the sons of Thunder wished to make sure of a good position in the Kingdom. Evidently the question of “who is the greatest” (Mark 9:34) has not yet been put to rest. Their asking to have their request granted before they had stated it is almost childish in its simplicity; and the [2445] text represents Christ as promising to do what they wish.

[2445] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mark 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

οἱ [δύο] υἱοὶ Ζεβ. The δύο ([2446][2447] Memph.) may come from Matthew 26:37; cf. John 21:2. Their mother’s name was Salome, and she seems to have been the sister of Christ’s Mother (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56; John 19:25). These brothers, therefore, would be our Lord’s first cousins, and hence their hope of preferment. “This was the first ecclesiastical intrigue for high places in the Church” (Sadler).

[2446] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mark 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2447] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mark 1:17 to Mark 6:31; Mark 8:5 to Mark 12:29; Mark 13:19 to Mark 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

θέλομεν ἵνα. Cf. Mark 6:25; Mark 9:30; cf. Mark 10:51. Blass § 69. 4, 5, 6.