Mark 16

Mark 16:2

[a] at the rising] The various readings in this place may deserve to be taken notice of. 1. Gregory Nyssen, Serm. de Resurr., saith, Ἐτι τοῖς ἀκριβεστίροις τῶν ἀντιγράφων ἐμφίρεται, “The most exact copies put in ἔτι, now.” And so Eusebius de Demonstr. Evang. l. 10. in the end, reads ἔτι ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου, the sun being now risen; and so Lucas Brugensis cites it out of some manuscripts. 2dly. The ancient Greek and Latin MSS. read ἀνατέλλοντος in the present tense; and if the ἔτι, now, be joined with that, the plain sense will be, the sun now rising; or as our English, at the rising of the sun; and so it will agree exactly with St. Matthew’s τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ, the day beginning to appear, or shine; ἐπιφωσκούσης κυριακῆς, the Lord’s day beginning to shine, saith Ignatius ad Trall.

Mark 16:7

But stay not here seeking the living in a tomb, but go tell his disciples, and particularly Peter, that according to his own words before his death, ch. xiv. 28, he is risen from the dead, and that, &c.

d and being very much amazed and frightened they did not declare this to any whom they met by the way, but going to tell the apostles what they had heard of the angel, Matt. xxviii. 9, before they came to them, Jesus himself appeared to them, and first to Mary—

Mark 16:15

[b] every creature] What πᾶσα κτίσις here signifies is clear, by comparing this passage with the same, as it is set down in the other Gospels. In St. Matthew (with whom St. Mark throughout most exactly agrees) it is thus, Πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, Go and gather disciples over all nations, and immediately follows, (as here,) baptizing them, &c. In St. Luke thus, ch. xxiv. 47, ἴδει κηρυχθῆναι, &c. ἄφισιν ἁμαρτῶν εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, repentance and remission of sins must be preached to all nations. From whence not only appears that πᾶσα κτίσις, in this place, is all the Gentiles; but a very fit occasion is offered of interpreting the same phrase again in a very hard place, Rom. viii. 22, and 1 Peter ii. 13, which we shall refer to be explained more at large on those chapters. Some ground of the use of the phrase in this sense seems to be taken from the Hebrew, which uses בְּרוּת (which signifies creatures properly) for men, as being the most excellent creatures. And so the Arabic also, as appears by one of their geographers, who, speaking of cities, often saith, that there are in it many בְּרָאוּת, that is, literally, κτίσεις, creatures, but clearly signifies men; and so πᾶσα κτίσις, every creature, is all men, in opposition to the Jews, that is, not only they, but all other nations of men beside.

Mark 16:16

And he that receiveth the gospel preached by you, and thereupon becomes a proselyte, or disciple of Christ, and desires and receives baptism, the seal of the new covenant, shall for all his former sins, sincerely repented of and forsaken, receive plenary pardon, and upon perseverance in new life, eternal bliss; but he that stands out obstinately and impenitently shall be damned.

Mark 16:17

And moreover, for the propagating the gospel as far as may be, the Spirit shall be poured out upon you, and from you communicated to others, and thereby ye shall be enabled to do miracles, cast out devils, speak strange languages, (Acts ii.) &c.

Mark 16:18

[c] they shall take up serpents] This seems to be prophesied of by that sibyl out of which Virgil had learned the substance of that verse of his, Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni

Occidet— Eclog. iv. 24.

“The serpent shall die, and the deceitful poisonous herb;” that is, shall lose their efficacy.

Mark 16:43

[d] counsellor] What is meant by βουλευτής, counsellor, here, is matter of some question. Most probable it is, that it imports one of the decuriones, placed by the Romans in their colonies or provinces. So saith Fornerius, Decuriones βουλευταί dicebantur quod consilii gratia allegerentur, “The decuriones were called counsellors, because they were chosen to give counsel.” So the old Greek and Latin Lexicon, βουλευτής, decurio, curialis. So the old Glossary, decurio, βουλευτής, δεκαδάρχης. Now what the decurio is we find in the Digests, lib. 50. tit. 16. de Verbor. Signif. leg. 239. §. 5, Decuriones dictos aiunt ex eo, quod initio, cum coloniae deducerentur, decima pars eorum qui ducerentur consilii publici gratia conscribi solita sit: “They were so called, because at the first, when colonies were sent out, the tenth part of them were appointed to sit as a standing counsel, to manage affairs.” And such an one at this time was Joseph, and he ἐπίσημος, a person of great eminence.