Mark 4:15

εἰς αὐτούς ([727] and some cursives) or ἐν αὐτοῖς ([728][729][730][731]) rather than ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν ([732][733]) or ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν ([734] Syr-Sin. omits ὅπου σπ. ὁ λόγος and εὐθύς.

[727] 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.

[728] 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.

[729] 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.

[730] 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.

[731] 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.

[732] 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.

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

[734] odex 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.

15. οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν κ.τ.λ. Another instance of Mk’s lack of literary skill; the sense is clear, but the constr. is not. These are they by the wayside where the word is sown is an incomplete sentence, without any relative to correspond to “these.” “By the wayside” does not mean “casually” as distinct from listening to instruction.

ὅταν�, εὐθὺς ἔρχεται. Whensoever they hear (Mark 13:7; Mark 13:14; Mark 13:28), Satan, like the birds, at once is there.

ὁ Σατανᾶς. Mt. has ὁ πονηρός, Lk. ὁ διάβολος. See on Mark 1:13 and Mark 3:23. This is strong evidence that Christ taught the existence of a personal evil spirit. In Mark 3:23 f. He might be said to be answering the Scribes according to the folly of their own hypothesis. But here there is nothing that requires such accommodation. He might have explained τὰ πετεινά as impersonal temptations, and the plur. invites such interpretation.

αἴρει. By doubt, ridicule, counter-attractions.