Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Mark 11:25

ὅταν στήκετε προσευχόμενοι. Whenever ye stand in prayer. Christ says “stand” because that was the usual posture among the Jews (1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Kings 8:14; 1 Kings 8:22; Nehemiah 3:4; Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:11; Luke 18:13). Yet kneeling was not unusual in cases of special earnestness (1 Kings 8:54; Ezra 9:5; Daniel 6:10). Christ knelt (Luke 22:41), and kneeling has become usual among Christians (Acts 7:60; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5; Ephesians 3:14). But the Eastern Church still prays standing. Stanley, East. Ch. p. 159, ed. 1883; Hefele, Chr. Councils, I. p. 435. For the very rare use of ὅταν with pres. indic. see Winer, p. 388; Burton § 309; Blass § 65. 9.

ἀφίετε εἴ τι ἔχετε κατά τινος. A necessary caution against the supposition, which Peter’s remark might encourage, that our curses on other men will be executed by God. “The tree which Thou cursedst is withered away; therefore we may curse with like effect.”

ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. A remarkable expression in this Gospel, and an echo of the Lord’s Prayer.

παραπτώματα. “Slips aside,” “false steps,” and so transgressions.

A.V. uses five words for παράπτωμα, “fault,” “offence,” “fall,” “trespass,” “sin,” of which R.V. uses the last three.

The similar saying, Matthew 6:14-15, may have been taken from this passage and inserted, as other Sayings seem to have been inserted, in the Sermon. We infer that the Lord’s Prayer had already been taught to the disciples. Christ does not say that our forgiving others suffices to secure forgiveness for ourselves; but refusing to forgive others is a bar to our being forgiven. Cf. Sir 28:2; also the Testaments; “Do ye also, my children, have compassion on every man in mercy, that the Lord also may have compassion and mercy on you” (Zebulon viii. 1). Nowhere else in Mk does ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν occur.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Mark 11:25

Old Testament

New Testament