AGAIN INTO CAPERNAUM AFTER SOME DAYS (παλιν εις Καφαρναουμ δι' ημερων). After the first tour of Galilee when Jesus is back in the city which is now the headquarters for the work in Galilee. The phrase δι' ημερων means days coming in between (δια, δυο, two) the departure and return.IN THE HOUSE... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT THERE WAS NO LONGER ROOM FOR THEM, NO, NOT EVEN ABOUT THE DOOR (ωστε μηκετ χωρειν μηδε τα προς την θυραν). Another graphic Markan detail seen through Peter's eyes. The double compound negative in the Greek intensifies the negative. This house door apparently opened into the street, not in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY COME (κα ερχοντα). Fine illustration of Mark's vivid dramatic historical present preserved by Luke Luke 5:18, but not by Matthew 9:2 (imperfect).BORNE BY FOUR (αιρομενον υπο τεσσαρων). Another picturesque Markan detail not in the others.... [ Continue Reading ]
COME NIGH (προσεγγισα). But Westcott and Hort read προσενεγκα, to bring to, after Aleph, B, L, 33, 63 (cf. John 5:18).THEY UNCOVERED THE ROOF (απεστεγασαν την στεγην). They unroofed the roof (note paronomasia in the Greek and cognate accusative). The only instance of this verb in the N.T. A rare... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR FAITH (την πιστιν αυτων). The faith of the four men and of the man himself. There is no reason for excluding his faith. They all had confidence in the power and willingness of Jesus to heal this desperate case.ARE FORGIVEN (αφιεντα, aoristic present passive, cf. punctiliar action, Roberts... [ Continue Reading ]
SITTING THERE, AND REASONING IN THEIR HEARTS (εκε καθημενο κα διαλογιζομενο εν ταις καρδιαις αυτων). Another of Mark's pictures through Peter's eyes. These scribes (and Pharisees, Luke 5:21) were there to cause trouble, to pick flaws in the teaching and conduct of Jesus. His popularity and power... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BLASPHEMETH (βλασφημε). This is the unspoken charge in their hearts which Jesus read like an open book. The correct text here has this verb. They justify the charge with the conviction that God alone has the power (δυνατα) to forgive sins. The word βλασφημεω means injurious speech or slander.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YE MAY KNOW (ινα ειδητε). The scribes could have said either of the alternatives in verse Mark 2:9 with equal futility. Jesus could say either with equal effectiveness. In fact Jesus chose the harder first, the forgiveness which they could not see. So he now performs the miracle of healing w... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THEM ALL (εμπροσθεν παντων). Luke 5:25 follows Mark in this detail. He picked up (αρας) his pallet and walked and went home as Jesus had commanded him to do (Mark 2:11). It was an amazing proceeding and made it unnecessary for Jesus to refute the scribes further on this occasion. The amaze... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE SEASIDE (παρα την θαλασσαν). A pretty picture of Jesus walking by the sea and a walk that Jesus loved (Mark 1:16; Matthew 4:18). Probably Jesus went out from the crowd in Peter's house as soon as he could. It was a joy to get a whiff of fresh air by the sea. But it was not long till all th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS HE PASSED BY (κα παραγων). Present participle active, was passing by. Jesus was constantly on the alert for opportunities to do good. An unlikely specimen was Levi (Matthew), son of Alpheus, sitting at the toll-gate (τελωνιον) on the Great West Road from Damascus to the Mediterranean. He w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SCRIBES OF THE PHARISEES (ο γραμματεις των Φαρισαιων). This is the correct text. Cf. "their scribes" in Luke 5:30. Matthew gave a great reception (δοχην, Luke 5:29) in his house (Mark 2:15). These publicans and sinners not simply accepted Levi's invitation, but they imitated his example "and w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS (δικαιους). Jesus for the sake of argument accepts the claim of the Pharisees to be righteous, though, as a matter of fact, they fell very far short of it. Elsewhere (Mark 2:23) Jesus shows that the Pharisees were extortionate and devoured widows' houses and wore a cloak of pride an... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN'S DISCIPLES AND THE PHARISEES WERE FASTING (ησαν ο μαθητα Ιωανου κα ο Φαρισαιο νηστευοντες). The periphrastic imperfect, so common in Mark's vivid description. Probably Levi's feast happened on one of the weekly fast-days (second and fifth days of the week for the stricter Jews). So there was... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF THE BRIDECHAMBER (ο υιο του νυμφωνος). Not merely the groomsmen, but the guests also, the παρανψμφς (παρανυμφο of the old Greek). Jesus here adopts the Baptist's own metaphor (John 3:29), changing the friend of the bridegroom (ο φιλος του νυμφιου) to sons of the bridechamber. Jesus ide... [ Continue Reading ]
SEWETH ON (επιραπτε). Here only in the N.T. or elsewhere, though the uncompounded verb ραπτω (to sew) is common enough,SEWS UPON: in Matthew 9:16 and Luke 5:37 use επιβαλλε, put upon or clap upon.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NEW WINE INTO FRESH WINESKINS (αλλα οινον νεον εις ασκους καινους). Westcott and Hort bracket this clause as a Western non-interpolation though omitted only in D and some old Latin MSS. It is genuine in Luke 5:38 and may be so here.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THE CORNFIELDS (δια των σποριμων). See on Matthew 12:1. So Matt. and Luke 6:1. But Mark uses παραπορευεσθα, to go along beside, unless διαπορευεσθα (BCD) is accepted. Perhaps now on the edge, now within the grain. Mark uses also οδον ποιειν, toMAKE A WAY like the Latin _iter facere_, as... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUSE OF GOD (τον οικον του θεου). The tent or tabernacle at Nob, not the temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon.WHEN ABIATHAR WAS HIGH PRIEST (επ Αβιαθαρ αρχιερεως). Neat Greek idiom, in the time of Abiathar as high priest. There was confusion in the Massoretic text and in the LXX about the d... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MAN (δια τον ανθρωπον). Mark alone has this profound saying which subordinates the sabbath to man's real welfare (mankind, observe, generic article with ανθρωπος, class from class). Man was not made for the sabbath as the rabbis seemed to think with all their petty rules about eating an egg l... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN OF THE SABBATH (κα του σαββατου). Mark, Matthew (Matthew 12:8), and Luke (Luke 6:5) all give this as a climax in the five reasons given by Christ on the occasion for the conduct of the disciples, but Mark has the little word "even" (κα) not in the others, showing that Jesus knew that he was... [ Continue Reading ]