Mark 16:17

17. [3581][3582][3583][3584][3585] omit καιναῖς.

[3581] 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.

[3582] 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.
[3583] 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.

[3584] 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.
[3585] 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.

17. τοῖς πιστεύσασιν. The writer does not say τῷ πιστεύσαντι, nor does he add πᾶσιν. His own experience must have taught him that not each individual believer, but only some of those who believed, had these χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων (1 Corinthians 12:30); πολλὰ τοιαῦτα πολλοῖς παρηκολούθησαν ἁγίοις (Euthym.), and even that may be too strong. In any case, the promise was to the Church collectively. The writer would not have put into the mouth of Christ a prediction which everyone knew had not been fulfilled. On the other hand, both in 1 Corinthians 12:10 and Galatians 3:5, St Paul treats the possession of extraordinary powers by some of his converts as a well-known fact. Cf. John 14:12.

ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου. These words are placed first with great emphasis. The power is not their own to be used for their own aggrandisement. Cf. Mark 9:38; Acts 3:6; Acts 16:18; Acts 19:13. The disciples had already exercised this power (Mark 3:15; Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1; Luke 10:17). Justin repeatedly testifies that in his day the power of thus exorcizing demons was possessed by Christians, who were more successful with the Name of Jesus Christ than Jews were with the Name of the God of Abraham (Try. 30, 85, Apol. ii. 8). Tertullian bears similar testimony (Apol. 23, Ad Scap. 2, 4). Origen says, “We ourselves, by the use or prayers and other means which we learn from Scripture, drive demons out of the souls of men” (Cels. vii. 67). Soon there arose the idea that the mere uttering of the Name of Jesus had a magical effect, which cannot have been Christ’s meaning. The exact meaning of “in My Name” depends upon the context; e.g. “by My authority and power,” “in My character,” “as My representative.” Cf. John 14:13; John 15:16; John 16:24; John 16:26.

γλώσσαις λαλήσουσιν. Cf. Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:5 f. Irenaeus states that this continued in his day (5. 6. 1), as well as the driving out of demons (II. xxxii. 4). Thus far all that is mentioned in this summary of what Christ promised to the disciples is confirmed by statements in N.T. as well as by other evidence. In the next verse elements which seem to be akin to legend are mingled with well-attested facts.