Mark 2:5

καὶ ἰδών ([237][238][239] rather than ἰδὼν δἑ: cf. Mark 1:14; Mark 1:28. ἀφίενται ([240] 33, Latt. Syrr. Goth., Orig.) rather than ἀφέωνται ([241][242][243][244][245] etc.), which may come from Luke 5:20; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:5 has ἀφίενται. So also here Mark 2:9, where [246] joins [247] σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ([248][249][250][251][252] 33) rather than σοι αἱ ἁμ. σου ([253][254]3[255][256] etc.).

[237] 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.

[238] 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.

[239] 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.

[240] 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.

[241] 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.

[242] 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.
[243] 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.

[244] 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.

[245] 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.

[246] 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.

[247] 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.

[248] 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.

[249] 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.

[250] 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.

[251] 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.

[252] 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.
[253] 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.
[254] 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.

[255] Codex Basiliensis. 8th cent. At Basle.

[256] Codex Seidelianus II. 9th or 10th cent. Contains Mark 1:1-31; Mark 2:4 to Mark 15:43; Mark 16:14-20.

5. ἰδὼν τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν. All three preserve the words. Belief in the power and good will of Christ is meant. The αὐτῶν includes the paralysed man. Theophylact and Euthymius remark that he would not have consented to be brought, if he had not believed that he could be cured. Here, as in the case of the father of the demoniac boy (Mark 9:24), and of Jairus (Mark 5:36), the faith of representatives is taken into account. Cf. Mark 7:32. This would hold good in the case of most demoniacs.

Τέκνον. My child. This affectionate address is preserved by Mk and Mt. It was doubtless intended to encourage the man and strengthen his hopes. We must insert “My,” for “Child” would sound like the beginning of a rebuke. Lk. has ἄνθρωπε, which is much less sympathetic. Τέκνα is addressed to the Twelve (Mark 10:24); also τεκνία (John 13:36). Cf. 1 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 4:17, and Θύγατερχ, Mark 5:34. We must not infer from τέκνον that the sick person was a lad; teachers often addressed their disciples in this way (Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 2:1, etc.).

ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. See crit. note. Thy sins are forgiven thee (R.V.), rather than “be forgiven thee” (A.V.), which might be understood as a wish. This “aoristic present” (Burton § 13; Blass § 56. 4) means “are forgiven now and here”; it = “I forgive thee.” Possibly, as in the case of the man at the pool of Bethesda, this man’s palsy was the result of sin (John 5:14), and the thought of this lessened the man’s hope of recovery. Therefore Christ healed the man’s conscience before healing his body, and thereby greatly strengthened his faith. See Clem. Alex. Paed. i. 2. The belief that suffering is a judgment on the sufferer’s sin is wide-spread, and it was strong in Jews (Acts 28:4; Luke 13:1-5; John 9:2). “Rabbi Ami said, No death without sin, and no pains without some transgression.” And “Rabbi Alexander said, The sick ariseth not from his sickness until his sins are forgiven” (Talmud). Cf. Job 4:7; Job 22:4-5. The silence of the paralytic and his friends is impressive.