Mark 9:42

42. [2054][2055][2056][2057] omit εἰς ἐμέ after πιστευόντων.

[2054] 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.

[2055] 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.

[2056] 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.

[2057] 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.

42. σκανδαλίσῃ. See on Mark 4:17. Just in proportion to the beauty of the childlike character is the guilt of the man who knowingly spoils it. Here and in Mark 9:43 σκανδαλίσῃ ([2091][2092][2093][2094][2095]) is right; in Mark 9:45, -ίζῃ.

[2091] 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.

[2092] 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.

[2093] 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.

[2094] 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.
[2095] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mark 9:5 to Mark 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mark 16:8 and Mark 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

τῶν πιστευόντων. He is speaking of simple Christians in Mark 9:37; Mark 9:41-42; it is they who are His best representatives. Will not simple believers be perplexed and sent astray, when they see Apostles contending for the foremost place?

καλόν ἐστιν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον. It is good for him, if the choice has to be made. Lk. has λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ, “it is worth his while.” Cf. Matthew 5:29. Death by drowning is a terrible thing; but in comparison with causing a simple soul to sin it is an excellent thing. Lk. has ἓνα last in the sentence, with great emphasis; the context in Lk. is quite different.

μύλος ὀνικός. A millstone requiring an ass to turn it, therefore so large that it must sink a man. Lk. has λίθος μυλικός, “a millstone,” and [2096][2097][2098] have the same here; μύλος may be either “a mill” or “a millstone.” The term ὀνικός has been found in papyri dated respectively 8 Feb. A.D. 33 and 5 Feb. A.D. 70, and in an inscription c. A.D. 136, having previously been unknown outside Bibl. Grk. Deissmann, Light from Ancient East, p. 76. Cf. Ovid, Fasti, vi. 318, Et quae puniceas versat asella molas.

[2096] 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.
[2097] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mark 3:35 to Mark 6:20.

[2098] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mark 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

βέβληται. The most terrible moment is chosen for comparison. The heavy stone is hanging on to the man’s neck (pres.), and he has been hurled to what must be his death (perf.), and it is the death of a dog. Cf. Sueton. Aug. 67, Oneratis gravi pondere cervicibus praecipitavit in flumen.