Mark 9:49

49. [2075][2076][2077][2078] omit καὶ πᾶσα θυσία ἁλὶ ἁλισθήσεται, which comes from Leviticus 2:13.

[2075] 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.

[2076] 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.

[2077] 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.

[2078] 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.

49. πᾶς γὰρ πυρὶ ἁλισθήσεται. A very difficult statement. Each of the two metaphors is capable of different interpretations, and the two seem to be opposed, for fire destroys and salt preserves. Moreover the connexion with what precedes is not clear. These sentences may be isolated Sayings which Mk has put together here, because the common idea of “salt” seems to unite them, while that of “fire” connects the first sentence with what precedes, although in reality the sentences have no connexion with one another or with the preceding words. If there is connexion with what precedes (γάρ), we must find it with Mark 9:43-49 as a whole, and not simply with τὸ πῦρ in Mark 9:49. “I have been speaking of fire, for with fire of some kind every man shall be salted.” The way to escape the penal fire hereafter is to seek the purifying and preservative fire here, the fire of the Divine Presence (Hebrews 12:29; Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 9:3; Malachi 3:2; Malachi 4:1). A sense of God’s Presence burns up all that is base, and preserves all that is akin to Him. Ignis purgat, et urit, et illuminat, et calefacit. Spiritus sanctus purgat sordes vitiorum, et urit cor ab humore libidinum, illuminat mentem notitia veritatis, et calefacit incendio caritatis (Herveius Burgidolensis). The Christian, salted and illumined by communing with God, becomes himself salt and light to others. Another possible meaning is that the aim of penal suffering is to purify. See crit. note.