Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Mark 15:12

12. [3410][3411][3412][3413][3414] omit θέλετε.

[3410] 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.

[3411] 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.

[3412] 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.

[3413] 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.
[3414] 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.

12. Τί οὖν ποιήσω ὃν λέγετε. See crit. note. What then am I to do with Him whom ye call. Delib. subj. rather than fut. indic. (R.V.). The more usual constr. is ποιεῖν τινί τι, but that does not mean quite the same as ποιεῖν τινά τι. The latter is “to do something with a person,” the former is “to do something to a person.” Here ὅν may = τούτῳ ὅν, but the other constr. is simpler. Pilate was within his duty in offering to release Jesus for the Feast and in letting the people choose Barabbas in preference. But he had no right to let them decide what was to be done with Jesus. He wanted to avoid the responsibility of condemning Jesus, and above all to avoid a tumult at the Passover. If the Jews were bent on having the life of an innocent Galilean, the responsibility was theirs. At all costs he must prevent an insurrection which would have to be put down by his troops. That would mean much bloodshed and the raising of awkward questions at Rome. Mt. interprets Pilate’s thoughts by putting into his mouth the words, “I am innocent of this blood” ([3516][3517] Syr-Sin.).

[3516] 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.

[3517] 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.

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Mark 15:12

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