Mark 4:22

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.

[766] 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.

[767] 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.
[768] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.
[769] 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.

[770] 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.

[771] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[772] odex 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.

22. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν κρυπτόν. For nothing is hidden, except for the purpose of being brought to light, nor yet anything become secret to remain so, but rather for the purpose of coming to light.

For this elliptical use of ἀλλʼ ἵνα = ἀλλὰ τοῦτο γέγονεν ἵνα cf. Mark 14:49, where Mt. (Matthew 26:56) supplies the ellipse. The ellipse is freq. in the Johannine writings; John 1:8; John 9:3; John 13:18; John 15:25; 1 John 2:19. Neither here nor Mark 10:40 does ἀλλά mean “except”; but see J. H. Moulton, pp. 191, 241. The difference between φανερωθῇ and ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν is worth keeping in translation; and we have a good instance of κρυπτά becoming φανερά 1 Corinthians 14:25. The saying may have been proverbial; our Lord uses it in different connexions. In Luke 12:2 the fact that nothing remains secret is applied to condemn hypocrisy; hypocrisy is not only wicked but futile, for one day there will be a merciless exposure. In Matthew 10:26 the meaning seems to be that the Apostles proclaim publicly what Christ teaches them in private. Here and Luke 8:17 the saying indicates that parables are not given in order that unsympathetic hearers should never see or understand (Mark 4:12), but that in the end they should become sympathetic and be able to see and understand. This good result the disciples must effect by making known the light of Christ’s teaching. Things which are precious are hidden to prevent them from being misappropriated or misused; they are not hidden to prevent them from being ever seen or used. Things which are never to be seen again are not “hidden,” but “lost”; and what is put underground to remain there is not “sown,” but “buried.”