Mark 3:35

35. γάρ, though strongly attested ([571][572][573][574][575] etc., Latt. Syrr. Arm. Goth.) is the kind of connexion which scribes often insert; [576] b c Memph. omit. [577] has τὰ θελήματα, which is freq. in LXX.

[571] 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.

[572] 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.
[573] 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.

[574] 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.

[575] 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.

[576] 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.

[577] 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.

35. ὃς ἂν ποιήσῃ. See crit. note; the “For” (A.V., R.V.) is probably an interpolation.

τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ. Here only in Mk. When used of the Divine Will, τὸ θέλημα in N.T. almost always has a distinguishing gen. See esp. Matthew 7:21; Romans 2:18 is hardly an exception, for θεῷ has preceded; and in 1 Corinthians 16:12 the context shows that the Divine Will is not the meaning. He Himself was doing the Divine Will in ministering to those whom “He is not ashamed to call brethren” (Hebrews 2:11; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 28:10; John 20:17).

καὶ�. This is added, because women were present, not because His sisters were outside. He does not say καὶ πατήρ: in spiritual relationship that position could not be approached by human beings; cf. Matthew 12:50. Almost certainly Joseph was dead before the Ministry began.

On the insoluble question of “the Brethren of the Lord” two theories are worthy of consideration; (1) that they were the sons of Joseph and Mary, born after the virgin-birth of Christ; (2) that they were the children of Joseph by a former wife, of whom there is no mention in Scripture or in tradition. Any theory which makes Apostles to be brethren of the Lord is excluded by John 7:5. Nothing in Scripture forbids us to adopt (1), which is confirmed by Matthew 1:25 and by the fact that the brethren here accompany Mary. See J. B. Mayor, Ep. of S. James, pp. v–xxxvi, and his thorough reinvestigation of the subject, Expositor, July and August, 1908; Lightfoot, Galatians, pp. 253–291; D.C.G. artt. “Brethren of the Lord” and “Mary the Virgin.”