Mark 5:2

ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ. The more idiomatic ἐξελθόντι αὐτῷ ([1066][1067]) is an obvious correction, and ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ([1068] is influenced by ἦλθον, keeping the disciples in view a moment longer. Cf. Mark 5:18 and Mark 13:1, and see Blass § 74. 5.

[1066] 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.
[1067] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[1068] 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.

εὐθύς ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ. The characteristic εὐθύς, though omitted in [1069] Lat.-Vet. Syrr. Arm., may be accepted as probably original. No sooner had Christ come on shore than the demoniac appeared and moved towards Him. Its seeming inconsistence with Mark 5:6 may have caused εὐθύς to be omitted. That ὑπαντάω means “meet accidentally,” while ἀπαντάω means “go to meet,” does not always hold; see Mark 14:13, where ἀπαντήσει is undisputed, and Luke 17:12, where ἀπήντησαν is probably right.

[1069] 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.

ἐκ τῶν μνημείων. No rock-hewn tombs have been found near Kersa, but a tomb built on the ground would be more likely to be chosen as a dwelling. Cf. οἰκοδομεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν προφητῶν (Luke 11:47).

ἄνθρωπος. Lk. says ἀνήρ τις, Mt. δύο Matthew 20:30 has two blind men, where Mk and Lk. mention only one. Probably in both cases Mt. represents a tradition in which the greatness of the miraculous benefit has been enhanced by increasing the number of the recipients; the narrative in Mk is distinct and consistent throughout. The plur., τῶν μνημείων and τοῖς μνήμασιν (Mark 5:3; Mark 5:5), may, however, be said to give some support to the tradition of two demoniacs. Lichtenstein compares 2 Kings 18:17, where three ambassadors are named, while Isaiah 36:2 names Rabshakeh only. See S. J. Andrews, Life of our Lord, pp. 300 f., for other suggestions.

ἐν πνεύματι�. See on Mark 1:23.