Mark 5:43

43. γνοῖ ([1056][1057][1058][1059] rather than γνῷ ([1060][1061][1062][1063][1064]).

[1056] 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.
[1057] 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.

[1058] 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.

[1059] 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.

[1060] 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.

[1061] 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.

[1062] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mark 5:20 to Mark 7:4; Mark 7:20 to Mark 8:32; Mark 9:1 to Mark 10:43; Mark 11:7 to Mark 12:19; Mark 14:25 to Mark 15:23; Mark 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[1063] 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.
[1064] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

43. διεστείλατο. One of Mk’s words; he has it five times; elsewhere in N.T. thrice.

ἵνα μηδεὶς γνοῖ τοῦτο. See crit. note. The charge is perplexing, for it would be impossible to keep such a miracle secret, and perhaps for this reason Mt. omits it; but his narrative throughout is greatly abbreviated. The object would be to let no one know till He had time to leave the place and avoid the unspiritual admiration of the crowd. Christ seems to have wished to minimize the miracle (Mark 5:39), certainly not to astound them with it. When the child arose and walked, they would say, “He was right after all; she was only asleep” (Lagrange). And it was best for the recipients of this great benefit that they should not talk, but be thankful. Cf. Mark 7:36; Mark 9:9, where διαστέλλομαι is again used. For γνοῖ see on παραδοῖ, Mark 4:29.

δοθῆναι αὐτῇ φαγεῖν. In the joy of recovering their child the parents might have forgotten this. “Life restored by miracle must be supported by ordinary means; miracle has no place where human care will suffice” (Swete). Christ does not employ supernatural means of knowing where information can be gained by asking (see on Mark 5:30). The stone that closed the tomb of Lazarus was removed by human labour (John 11:39; John 11:41). The gate which Rhoda could unfasten did not open of its own accord (Acts 12:10; Acts 12:16). Some Fathers regard this command as given to prove the reality of the restoration to life, because Christ ate in order to prove the reality of His Resurrection (Luke 24:43); but the idea is out of place here. For εἶπεν, told = bade, cf. Mark 8:7.