Mark 15:6

ὃν παρῃτοῦντο ([3377][3378][3379][3380][3381][3382]) rather than ὅνπερ ᾐτοῦντο ([3383]c[3384]3[3385][3386][3387][3388][3389]). Ὅσπερ occurs nowhere in N.T.

[3377] 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.

[3378] An asterisk denotes that the word is not found elsewhere in N.T., and such words are included in the index, even if there is no note on them in the commentary.
[3379] 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.
[3380] 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.

[3381] An asterisk denotes that the word is not found elsewhere in N.T., and such words are included in the index, even if there is no note on them in the commentary.
[3382] 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.

[3383] 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.

[3384] 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.

[3385] 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.

[3386] 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.

[3387] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mark 6:47 to Mark 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[3388] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mark 3:35 to Mark 6:20.

[3389] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

6. κατὰ δὲ ἑορτήν. Neither “at that Feast” (A.V.) nor “at the Feast” (R.V.) is quite accurate; it means at festival-time. Singulis diebus festis (k) is better than per diem festum (Vulg.).

ἀπέλυεν … παρῃτοῦντο. See crit. note. He used to release, and his releasing corresponded to their requesting; both were customary. Nothing is known of this custom beyond what is told us in the Gospels, but it is in accordance with Roman policy. At the lectisternium prisoners were sometimes released (Livy Mark 15:13); but here only one prisoner, specially chosen by the people, can be set free. A papyrus of about A.D. 87, quoted by Lagrange (ad loc.) and by Milligan (N.T. Documents, p. 79), gives a nearer parallel. Phibion, guilty of violence, is brought before C. Septimius Vegetus, governor of Egypt, who says to him ἄξιος μἐν ἦς μαστιγωθῆναι … χαρίζομαι δέ σε τοῖς ὄχλοις. The mob did not wish Phibion to be scourged, and the governor “makes them a present of him.”