Mark 5:3

ἁλύσει ([902][903][904][905] 33) rather than ἁλύσεσιν ([906][907][908]2[909][910][911]).

[902] 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.

[903] 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.

[904] 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.
[905] 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.

[906] 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.

[907] 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.
[908] 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.

[909] 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.

[910] 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.
[911] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

3. ὃς τὴν κατ. εἶχεν. The change from aor. to imperf. is accurate. Κατοίκησις, not rare in LXX., occurs nowhere else in N.T., and Mk nowhere has κατοικέω, which is freq. in N.T., esp. Acts and Rev.

ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν. In the tombs (R.V.) rather than “amongst” them (A.V.). He took shelter sometimes in one and sometimes in another. Cf. Psalms 68:7, ἐξάγων … τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν τάφοις, and Isaiah 65:4, ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν … κοιμῶνται. In N.T. μνημεῖον is freq., while μνῆμα is rare. In class. Greek both words mean a “memorial” or “monument”; the meaning “tomb” is Biblical and perhaps colloquial. The fondness of those who suffer from mania or melancholia for tombs is well known; many instances in Wetstein. Calvin says of some of the questions which have been raised about this narrative, frivola est, imo stulta eorum divinatio.

οὐδὲ ἁλύσει οὐκέτι οὐδείς. See crit. note. The accumulation of negatives is here peculiar to Mk. See on Mark 1:44 and note the expressive οὐδέ and οὐκέτι. “Not even a chain was any longer of any use,” implying that at one time it had sufficed. The statement explains how such a man came to be at large and to have his abode in the tombs. Contrast Luke 8:29. After δύναμαι the aor. infin. (δῆσαι) is normal; see on Mark 1:41.