Mark 7:31

ἦλθεν διὰ Σιδῶνος ([1515][1516][1517][1518][1519]) rather than καὶ Σιδῶνος ἦλθεν ([1520][1521][1522][1523][1524]).

[1515] 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.

[1516] 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.

[1517] 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.

[1518] 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.

[1519] 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.
[1520] 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.
[1521] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mark 5:20 to Mark 7:4; Mark 7:20 to Mark 8:32; Mark 9:1 to Mark 10:43; Mark 11:7 to Mark 12:19; Mark 14:25 to Mark 15:23; Mark 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[1522] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mark 6:47 to Mark 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[1523] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mark 3:35 to Mark 6:20.

[1524] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

31. ἐκ τῶν ὁρίων Τύρου ἦλθεν διὰ Σιδῶνος εἰς τ. θαλ. This means a very long circuit; about 20 or 30 miles northward to Sidon, then eastward and southward, till He reached the [1540] shore of the Lake. He would cross the Leontes twice, first between Tyre and Sidon, and again between Libanus and Anti-Libanus, but there is no hint as to where the second crossing took place. The object of the long circuit was to gain the retirement necessary for the training of the Twelve. He had twice failed in securing this (Mark 6:31-34; Mark 7:24).

[1540] Codex Basiliensis. 8th cent. At Basle.

διὰ Σιδῶνος. See crit. note. The other reading avoids the statement that He entered a city that was wholly heathen.

Δεκαπόλεως. He is once more in or near the country of the Gerasenes, where the healed demoniac has been acting as a pioneer (Mark 5:20).