Mark 11:1
UNTO BETHPHAGE AND BETHANY (εις Βηθφαγη κα Βηθανιαν). Both together as in Luke 19:29, though Matthew 21:1 mentions only Bethphage. See discussion in Matthew for this and the Mount of Olives.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO BETHPHAGE AND BETHANY (εις Βηθφαγη κα Βηθανιαν). Both together as in Luke 19:29, though Matthew 21:1 mentions only Bethphage. See discussion in Matthew for this and the Mount of Olives.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS YE ENTER (εισπορευομενο). So also Luke 19:30. Present middle participle.COLT (πωλον). So Luke 19:30; Matthew 21:2 speaks of the ass (ονον) also.WHEREON NO ONE EVER YET SAT (εφ' ον ουδεις ανθρωπων εκαθισεν). So Luke 19:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD (ο Κυριος). So Matt. and Luke. See on Matthew 21:3 for discussion of this word applied to Jesus by himself.HE WILL SEND HIM BACK (αποστελλε). Present indicative in futuristic sense. Matthew 21:3 has the future αποστελε.... [ Continue Reading ]
A COLT TIED AT THE DOOR WITHOUT IN THE OPEN STREET (πωλον δεδεμενον προς θυραν εξω επ του αμφοδου). A carefully drawn picture. The colt was outside the house in the street, but fastened (bound, perfect passive participle) to the door. "The better class of houses were built about an open court, fr... [ Continue Reading ]
CERTAIN OF THOSE THAT STOOD THERE (τινες των εκε εστηκοτων). Perfect active participle, genitive plural. Bystanders. Luke 19:33 terms them "the owners thereof" (ο κυριο αυτου). The lords or masters of the colt. They make a natural protest.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY BRING THE COLT UNTO JESUS (φερουσιν τον πωλον προς τον Ιησουν). Vivid historical present. The owners acquiesced as Jesus had predicted. Evidently friends of Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
BRANCHES (στιβαδας). A litter of leaves and rushes from the fields. Textus Receptus spells this word στοιβαδας. Matthew 21:8 has κλαδους, from κλαω, to break, branches broken or cut from trees. John 12:13 uses the branches of the palm trees (τα βαια των φοινικων), "the feathery fronds forming the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HAD LOOKED ROUND ABOUT UPON ALL THINGS (περιβλεψαμενος παντα). Another Markan detail in this aorist middle participle. Mark does not give what Luke 19:39-55 has nor what Matthew 21:10-17 does. But it is all implied in this swift glance at the temple before he went out to Bethany with the... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE MORROW (τη επαυριον). Matthew 21:18 has "early" (πρω), often of the fourth watch before six A.M. This was Monday morning. The Triumphal Entry had taken place on our Sunday, the first day of the week.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HAPLY HE MIGHT FIND ANYTHING THEREON (ε αρα τ ευρησε εν αυτη). This use of ε and the future indicative for purpose (to see if, a sort of indirect question) as in Acts 8:22; Acts 17:27. Jesus was hungry as if he had had no food on the night before after the excitement and strain of the Triumpha... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN EAT FRUIT FROM THEE HENCEFORWARD FOREVER (Μηκετ εις τον αιωνα εκ σου μηδεις καρπον φαγο). The verb φαγο is in the second aorist active optative. It is a wish for the future that in its negative form constitutes a curse upon the tree. Matthew 21:19 has the aorist subjunctive with double neg... [ Continue Reading ]
BEGAN TO CAST OUT (ηρξατο εκβαλλειν). Mark is fond of "began." See on Matthew 21:12 for discussion of this second cleansing of the temple in its bearing on that in John 2:14.MONEY-CHANGERS (κολλυβιστων). This same late word in Matthew 21:12 which see for discussion. It occurs in papyri.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THE TEMPLE (δια του ιερου). The temple authorities had prohibited using the outer court of the temple through the Precinct as a sort of short cut or by-path from the city to the Mount of Olives. But the rule was neglected and all sorts of irreverent conduct was going on that stirred the s... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ALL THE NATIONS (πασιν τοις εθνεσιν). Mark alone has this phrase from Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11. The people as well as the temple authorities were guilty of graft, extortion, and desecration of the house of prayer. Jesus assumes and exercises Messianic authority and dares to smite this polit... [ Continue Reading ]
SOUGHT HOW THEY MIGHT DESTROY HIM (εζητουν πως αυτον απολεσωσιν). Imperfect indicative, a continuous attitude and endeavour. Note deliberative subjunctive with πως retained in indirect question. Here both Sadducees (chief priests) and Pharisees (scribes) combine in their resentment against the cl... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY EVENING (οταν οψε εγενετο). Literally,WHENEVER EVENING CAME ON or more exactlyWHENEVER IT BECAME LATE . The use of οταν (οτε αν) with the aorist indicative is like οπου αν with the imperfect indicative (εισεπορευετο) and οσο αν with the aorist indicative (ηψαντο) in Mark 6:56. The use o... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY PASSED BY IN THE MORNING (παραπορευομενο πρω). Literally, passing by in the morning. The next morning. They went back by the lower road up the Mount of Olives and came down each morning by the steep and more direct way. Hence they saw it. Matthew 21:20 does not separate the two mornings a... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER CALLING TO REMEMBRANCE (αναμνησθεις ο Πετρος). First aorist participle, being reminded. Only in Mark and due to Peter's story. For his quick memory see also Mark 14:72.WHICH THOU CURSEDST (ην κατηρασω). First aorist middle indicative second person singular from καταραομα. It almost sounds... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE FAITH IN GOD (εχετε πιστιν θεου). Objective genitive θεου as in Galatians 2:26; Romans 3:22; Romans 3:26. That was the lesson for the disciples from the curse on the fig tree so promptly fulfilled. See this point explained by Jesus in Matthew 21:21 which see for "this mountain" also.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL NOT DOUBT IN HIS HEART (μη διακριθη εν τη καρδια αυτου). First aorist passive subjunctive with ος αν. The verb means a divided judgment (δια from δυο, two, and κρινω, to judge). Wavering doubt. Not a single act of doubt (διακριθη), but continued faith (πιστευη).COMETH TO PASS (γινετα). Fu... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVE THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED THEM (πιστευετε οτ ελαβετε). That is the test of faith, the kind that sees the fulfilment before it happens. Ελαβετε is second aorist active indicative, antecedent in time to πιστευετε, unless it be considered the timeless aorist when it is simultaneous with it. For... [ Continue Reading ]
WHENSOEVER YE STAND (οταν στηκετε). Late form of present indicative στηκω, from perfect stem εστηκα. In LXX. Note use of οταν as in Mark 11:19. Jesus does not mean by the use of "stand" here to teach that this is the only proper attitude in prayer.THAT YOUR FATHER ALSO MAY FORGIVE YOU (ινα κα ο... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is omitted by Westcott and Hort. The Revised Version puts it in a footnote.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHIEF PRIESTS, AND THE SCRIBES, AND THE ELDERS (ο αρχιερεις κα ο γραμματεις κα ο πρεσβυτερο). Note the article with each separate group as in Luke 20:1 and Matthew 21:23. These three classes were in the Sanhedrin. Clearly a large committee of the Sanhedrin including both Sadducees and Pharise... [ Continue Reading ]
BY WHAT AUTHORITY (εν ποια εξουσια). This question in all three Gospels was a perfectly legitimate one. See on Matthew 21:23-27 for discussion. Note present subjunctive here (ινα ταυτα ποιηις), that you keep on doing these things.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANSWER ME (αποκριθητε μο). This sharp demand for a reply is only in Mark. See also verse Mark 11:29. Jesus has a right to take this turn because of John's direct relation to himself. It was not a dodge, but a home thrust that cleared the air and defined their attitude both to John and Jesus. They... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE SAY (εαν ειπωμεν). Third-class condition with aorist active subjunctive. The alternatives are sharply presented in their secret conclave. They see the two horns of the dilemma clearly and poignantly. They know only too well what Jesus will say in reply. They wish to break Christ's power wit... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SHOULD WE SAY (αλλα ειπωμεν). Deliberative subjunctive with aorist active subjunctive again. It is possible to supply εαν from verse Mark 11:31 and treat it as a condition as there. So Matthew 21:26 and Luke 20:6. But in Mark the structure continues rugged after "from men" with anacoluthon or... [ Continue Reading ]
WE KNOW NOT (ουκ οιδαμεν). It was for the purpose of getting out of the trap into which they had fallen by challenging the authority of Jesus. Their self-imposed ignorance, refusal to take a stand about the Baptist who was the Forerunner of Christ, absolved Jesus from a categorical reply. But he... [ Continue Reading ]