Mark 4:1-12
1–12. TEACHING BY PARABLES; THE SOWER Matthew 13:1-9; Luke 8:4-8... [ Continue Reading ]
1–12. TEACHING BY PARABLES; THE SOWER Matthew 13:1-9; Luke 8:4-8... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΝΆΓΕΤΑΙ ([654][655][656][657][658]) rather than συνήχθη ([659][660]) or συνήχθησαν ([661] (ΠΛΕΙ͂ΣΤΟΣ) ([662][663][664][665][666]) rather than πολύς ([667][668][669]). [670][671][672][673] 33 omit τό before πλοῖον. [654] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monaster... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΔΊΔΑΣΚΕΝ. The imperf. is again accurate; cf. Mark 1:21; Mark 1:32; Mark 1:35; Mark 1:45; Mark 2:2; Mark 2:13; Mark 3:2; Mark 3:11; Mark 3:23. Both A.V. and R.V. make πολλά a cogn. acc., but it is probably adverbial as usual, meaning “often,” _i.e._ “in many parables,” in para [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΚΟΎΕΤΕ. _Hear ye_. This translation preserves the resemblance to Deuteronomy 6:4 (quoted Mark 12:29), and also shows the connexion between the opening note and the concluding one, “let him hear” (Mark 4:9). This preparatory “Hear ye” is preserved by Mk alone. The people on the beach were talking to... [ Continue Reading ]
4. After τὰ πετεινά, [674][675][676][677][678] etc. omit τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (from Lk.). [674] 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. [675] Cod... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἌΛΛΟ ([679][680][681][682][683]) rather than ἄλλο δέ ([684][685]); [686] has καὶ ἄλλα. Mk throughout prefers καί to δέ. See on Mark 1:14. [679] 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,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΝΈΒΗΣΑΝ ΑἹ ἌΚΑΝΘΑΙ. The thorns were as yet hardly above the surface; but they were more vigorous. ΣΥΝΈΠΝΙΞΑΝ. Vulg. _suffocaverunt_; Wic. “strangliden.” The συν-expresses intensity; see on Mark 3:5. Mt. and Lk. have ἀπέπνιξαν, “choked _off_.” ΚΑῚ ΚΑΡΠῸΝ ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΔΩΚΕΝ. Hardly necessary after συνέπνι... [ Continue Reading ]
8. ἄλλα ([687][688][689][690] 33) rather than ἄλλο ([691][692][693][694]). [687] 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. [688] Codex Vat... [ Continue Reading ]
9. [695][696][697][698][699][700][701] omit αὐτοῖς. [695] 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. [696] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Br... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ὍΤΕ rather than ὅτε δέ. See on Mark 4:5. ἨΡΏΤΩΝ ([702][703][704][705][706][707]) rather than ἠρώτησαν ([708]). ΤᾺΣ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΆΣ ([709][710][711][712][713]) rather than τὴν παραβολἠν ([714][715]). [702] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine o... [ Continue Reading ]
11. [716][717][718][719][720][721][722] omit γνῶναι (from Mt. and Lk.). [716] 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. [717] Codex Alexan... [ Continue Reading ]
12. WH. write ΣΥΝΊΩΣΙΝ from the unused συνίω: συνιῶσιν is from συνίημι or the unused συνιέω. [723][724][725][726] omit τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. [723] 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 a... [ Continue Reading ]
13–20. INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΛΈΓΕΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ. This introductory formula marks the beginning of a new section and breaks the connexion with Mark 4:10-12. It does not introduce a customary utterance (ἔλεγεν), but the explanation given on one occasion of a particular parable. This verse is peculiar to Mk. ΟΥ̓Κ ΟἼΔΑΤΕ. All Engli... [ Continue Reading ]
14. Ὁ ΣΠΕΊΡΩΝ. The sower in the parable. He is not explained, and the interpretation must vary; Christ, or one of His ministers, or the Church. The emphasis is on τὸν λόγον, giving the key to the parable; _What the sower sows is the word_. See on Mark 2:2. The comparison between sowing and teaching... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΎΣ ([727] and some cursives) or ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ ([728][729][730][731]) rather than ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν ([732][733]) or ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν ([734] Syr-Sin. omits ὅπου σπ. ὁ λόγος and εὐθύς. [727] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost s... [ Continue Reading ]
ὉΜΟΊΩΣ. Peculiar to Mk. It means that this interpretation is parallel to the preceding one; cf. Mark 15:31. ΟἹ ΣΠΕΙΡΌΜΕΝΟΙ. There is no confusion between the seed and the soil. We talk of seed being sown and of soil being sown, _i.e._ receiving seed. The latter is the meaning here. Imperf. part., _... [ Continue Reading ]
ῬΊΖΑΝ. Another of the commonplaces of literature; cf. Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7; 2 Kings 19:30 : ἐν ἑαντοῖς, because they are the soil. ἈΛΛᾺ ΠΡΌΣΚΑΙΡΟΊ ΕἸΣΙΝ. _On the contrary, they are short-lived_. Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:18; Hebrews 11:25. “Husbandmen, when there is warm weather too early, are a... [ Continue Reading ]
ἌΛΛΟΙ ([735][736][737][738][739][740][741]) rather than οὗτοι ([742][743]2[744]). [735] 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. [736] Co... [ Continue Reading ]
19. [745][746][747][748][749][750] omit τούτου. [745] 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. [746] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perh... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚΕΙ͂ΝΟΙ ([751][752][753][754][755]) rather than οὗτοι ([756][757][758]). [751] 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. [752] Codex Vati... [ Continue Reading ]
21. As in Mark 8:4, the ὍΤΙ is omitted in the large majority of witnesses, but is probably genuine ([759][760] ὅτι recitative is very freq. in Mk. For ἘΠῚ ΤῊΝ ΛΥΧΝΊΑΝ, [761][762][763][764] 33 have the impossible ὑπὸ τ. λ., an interesting example of a very early corruption. [759] Codex Vaticanus. 4t... [ Continue Reading ]
21–25 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HEARING THE WORD Luke 8:16-18; cf. Luke 11:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘᾺΝ ΜῊ ἽΝΑ ([765][766][767]) rather than ἐὰν μή ([768][769][770][771]) or ἀλλʼ ἵνα ([772][765] 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. [7... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἼ ΤΙΣ ἜΧΕΙ. In Mark 4:9 this appeal was made to the whole audience. Here the disciples are told that it applies to them as well as to outsiders.... [ Continue Reading ]
24. [773][774][775][776][777][778] omit τοῖς�. [773] 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. [774] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perha... [ Continue Reading ]
ὋΣ ΓᾺΡ ἜΧΕΙ. Another proverb-like utterance which is used with different applications (Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29; Luke 19:26). We have a parallel saying, which holds good of spiritual progress, as well as of worldly advancement, “Nothing succeeds like success.” The γάρ introduces a reason for the... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣ ([779][780][781][782][783] 33) rather than ὡς ἐάν ([784][785][786]), an obvious correction; but ἐάν might get lost before ἄνθρ. [779] 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 M... [ Continue Reading ]
26–29. THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY AND AUTOMATICALLY Omitted by Mt. and Lk... [ Continue Reading ]
ΒΛΑΣΤΑ͂Ι ([787][788][789][790][791][792]) rather than βλαστάνῃ ([793][794][795]2) or βλαστάνει ([796][797][798] 33). ΜΗΚΎΝΕΤΑΙ ([799][800][801][802]) rather than μηκύνηται ([803][804][805]2 etc.). [787] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost sin... [ Continue Reading ]
28. [806][807][808][809][810] omit γάρ. Cf. Mark 3:35. It is impossible to determine the original Greek for “the full corn”; perhaps πλήρη σῖτον ([811][812][813]2[814][815][816]) is right; but it may be a correction of πλήρης σῖτον ([817][818][806] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendo... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΑΔΟΙ͂. Aor. subj. = παραδῷ (WH. _App._ p. 168). Cf. γνοῖ Mark 5:43, δοῖ Mark 8:37, παραδοῖ Mark 14:10. The meaning is uncertain; either _alloweth_ (R.V. marg.), or “bringeth itself forth”; cf. 1 Peter 2:23, where παρεδίδου may mean “committed himself.” ἈΠΟΣΤΈΛΛΕΙ. _He sendeth forth_ (Mark 3:14; M... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΩ͂Σ ([819][820][821][822][823]) rather than τίνι ([824][825][826]). ΘΩ͂ΜΕΝ ([827][828][829][830][831][832]) rather than παραβάλωμεν ([833][834]2[835][836]). [819] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
30–32. THE MUSTARD SEED Matthew 13:31-32; Luke 13:18-19... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣ ΚΌΚΚΩΙ ΣΙΝΆΠΕΩΣ. The verse is a medley of confused constructions, but with its meaning sufficiently plain. The three words seem to mix the forms of reply to the two questions, ὡς answering to πῶς and κόκκῳ to τίνι. Hence the reading κόκκον ([870][871][872] After the second ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, the constr... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΩΝ ΤΩ͂Ν ΛΑΧΆΝΩΝ. More accurate than Lk., who says that it becomes a δένδρον. Lk. (Luke 11:42) gives λάχανα as the class to which ἡδύοσμον and πήγανον belong; St Paul (Romans 14:2), as the food which the weak vegetarian eats. Its derivation (λαχαίνω = dig) points to its meaning cultivated herbs,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΛΆΛΕΙ … ἨΔΎΝΑΝΤΟ. The imperfects are again accurate (cf. Mark 4:2; Mark 4:10), yet Mt. has ἐλάλησεν. Αὐτοῖς refers to hearers who have not been mentioned; τὸν λόγον as in Mark 2:2. ΚΑΘΏΣ. _Just as_ (Mark 1:2; Mark 11:6; Mark 14:16); the correspondence between His teaching and their capacity was exa... [ Continue Reading ]
33, 34. THE PRINCIPLE OF CHRIST’S PARABOLIC TEACHING Matthew 13:34... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΙ͂Σ ἸΔΊΟΙΣ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΙ͂Σ ([837][838][839][840][841]) rather than τ. μαθ. αὐτοῦ ([842][843][844]). [837] 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, 1... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἘΚΕΊΝΗΙ ΤΗ͂Ι ἩΜΈΡΑΙ. This takes us back to Mark 3:20. Mt. gives the incident quite a different setting. ΔΙΈΛΘΩΜΕΝ. The verb is more often used of traversing land than of crossing water. It is freq. in Lk. and Acts, and in Acts it is almost a technical word for a missionary journey on land (Acts 1... [ Continue Reading ]
35–41. THE STILLING OF THE WIND AND THE WAVES Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΦΈΝΤΕΣ ΤῸΝ ὌΧΛΟΝ. Mt. says that it was when He saw such a multitude that He gave the order to cross. He had been teaching from the boat (Mark 4:1). Apparently He was already lying down, too weary to help in dispersing the multitude. ΠΑΡΑΛΑΜΒΆΝΟΥΣΙΝ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΝ ὩΣ ἮΝ. _They take Him with them_ (Acts 15:... [ Continue Reading ]
ὭΣΤΕ ἬΔΗ ΓΕΜΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ ΤῸ ΠΛΟΙ͂ΟΝ ([845][846][847][848][849]) rather than ὥστε αὐτὸ ἤδη γεμ. ([850][851]). [845] 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, en... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΣ. _And He Himself_, as distinct from the anxious crew. Cf. Mark 6:47; Mark 8:29; καὶ αὐτὸς is very freq. in Lk. ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ΠΡΎΜΝΗΙ ἘΠῚ ΤῸ ΠΡΟΣΚΕΦΆΛΑΙΟΝ. This graphic detail is peculiar to Mk. In the stern He was less in the way of the crew, and “_the_ head-rest” indicates the usual furniture... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΕΓΕΡΘΕΊΣ. Pointing back to ἐγείρουσιν (Mark 4:38); _He awoke_ (R.V.); not “He arose” (A.V.). ΣΙΏΠΑ, ΠΕΦΊΜΩΣΟ. Mk alone preserves these words. Cf. Mark 1:25 and the rebuke to the braggart fig-tree (Mark 11:14). The asyndeton is peremptory. The rare perf. imperat. indicates that what is commanded i... [ Continue Reading ]
40. [852][853][854][855][856] omit οὕτως. ΟΥ̓́ΠΩ ([857][858][859][860][861]) rather than πῶς ([862][863][864]). [852] 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. Photograp... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΦΟΒΉΘΗΣΑΝ ΦΌΒΟΝ ΜΈΓΑΝ. Cf. Mark 5:42; Isaiah 8:12; Jonah 1:10; 1Ma 10:8. Mk says that they feared, Mt. that they marvelled, Lk. gives both. We have the same cogn. acc. Luke 2:9. This fear is different from their terror during the storm, and it is not rebuked. To be suddenly conscious of the presenc... [ Continue Reading ]