Mark 10:14

14. [2209][2210][2211][2212][2213][2214][2215][2216] omit καί before μὴ κωλύετε.

[2209] 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.

[2210] Codex Campianus. 9th cent. At Paris. Gospels complete.
[2211] 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.

[2212] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mark 6:47 to Mark 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2213] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mark 3:35 to Mark 6:20.

[2214] 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.
[2215] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[2216] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mark 9:5 to Mark 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mark 16:8 and Mark 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

14. ἠγανάκτησεν. Was much displeased (A.V.); cf. Mark 10:41; Mark 14:4; Luke 13:14; Matthew 26:8. Another instance of human emotion in Christ; see on Mark 3:5. He was indignant that His disciples should put such a limit on His love and His work as to exclude children. In a smaller degree it was a repetition of the error of Peter (Mark 8:32). Peter wished to keep Him from future suffering and death; the disciples now wish to keep Him from present trouble and fatigue. Like the records of their terror at the storm, their misunderstanding about the leaven, their powerlessness in dealing with the demoniac boy, and their disputing about the first place, this narrative illustrates the candour of the Evangelists in telling what is not to the credit of the Apostles.

Ἄφετε, μὴ κωλύετε. See crit. note. Mt. and Lk. weaken the sharp decisive commands by inserting a connecting καί between them. “Allow them; cease to forbid them” (cf. Mark 9:39) is doubtless nearer to the original utterance. We have similarly expressive instances of short, unconnected sentences, Mark 1:27; Mark 2:7; Mark 6:38, and of short, unconnected rebukes, Mark 4:39-40; Mark 8:17-18; Mark 9:19.

τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων. His, qui similem haberent innocentiam et simplicitatem, praemium promittit (Bede, from Jerome). This, like ἄφετε and μὴ κωλύετε, is in all three. The gen. is possessive; For to such belongs the Kingdom of God. The disciples were trying to keep from the Son of God some of those who were the most fit to be admitted to His presence. The end and aim of His work was to bring people into the Kingdom, and His ministers were turning most promising candidates away. Various writers point out that Jesus says τοιούτων, not τούτων, to show that it is simple character that counts and not tender years.