Mark 6:4

καὶ ἔλεγεν ([1130][1131][1132][1133][1134][1135]) rather than ἔλεγεν δέ.

[1130] 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.

[1131] 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.

[1132] 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.

[1133] 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.

[1134] 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.

[1135] 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.

4. καὶ ἔλεγεν. Their dissatisfaction was frequently expressed, and He used to reply with this aphorism. Mt., as often, substitutes an aor., εἶπεν.

Οὐκ ἔστιν προφήτης. Jesus made no public claim to be the Messiah, but His miracles and teaching caused Him to be generally accepted as a Prophet (Mark 6:15; Mark 8:28; Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; Luke 24:19). The saying was doubtless proverbial before Christ uttered it, and it is given in different forms in John 4:44 and Luke 4:24; also in Oxyrhyn. log. 6, which agrees with Lk. in inserting δεκτός. Plutarch (De exil. 13, p. 604 D) says that few very wise men receive attention ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν πατρίσι. Pliny (H. N. xxxv. 36), sordebat suis, ut plerumque domestica. Christ had been rejected by the Gerasenes. As often, He states a general truth and leaves His hearers to find the limitations by thought and experience.

ἄτιμος. Cf. Isaiah 3:5; Isaiah 53:3; Job 30:8.

συγγενεῦσιν. With this form for συγγένεσιν comp. γονεῦσιν (Romans 1:30; 2 Corinthians 12:14). This may point back to Mark 3:21. Mt. omits it, as does Lk. (Luke 4:24).