Mark 6:34

34. [1284][1285][1286] Memph. Arm. omit ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Seen on Mark 5:13.

[1284] 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.

[1285] 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.

[1286] 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.

34. ἐξελθὼν εἶδεν. This does not mean that He saw no multitude till He left the boat; He would see them from the boat. But now the sight excites compassion and leads to action. Mk, as usual, has ὄχλον, not ὄχλους. See on Mark 2:4. It is instructive to note how each Evangelist uses his favourite expressions.

ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπʼ αὐτούς. See on Mark 1:41 and cf. Mark 8:2; Mark 9:22. They had frustrated His purpose (Mark 6:31), yet His compassion at once went out to them; or (as Lk.’s favourite ἀποδεξάμενος puts it) He welcomed them; and the physician adds, that “He healed (ἰᾶτο) those who had need of treatment.” All this is evidence of the reality of Christ’s human nature. He might have prevented the frustration of His purpose.

ὡς πρόβατα μὴ ἔχοντα ποιμένα. A proverbial expression (Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Jdt 11:19). Cf. Ezekiel 34:5; Ezekiel 34:8, which is parallel to this; in both cases it is a faithful and capable spiritual shepherd which God’s people need, a true successor of Moses (Numbers 27:17 f.). The people ran after Christ in order to see others healed (John 6:2). As usual (see on Mark 2:4), we have μή, not οὐ, with a participle; but we might have μή in class. Grk.

ἤρξατο διδάσκειν. This was their primary need. Some had never heard Him before, and all had the first elements of true religion to learn; so “He began to teach them many things.” Here, as in Mark 5:26, πολλά is cogn. acc. rather than adverbial, multa not multum. For this Mt. (Matthew 14:15) substitutes “He healed their sick,” a change which he makes in Matthew 19:2 = Mark 10:1 and in Matthew 21:14-15 = Mark 11:17-18. Here Lk. has both the teaching and the healing.