Markus 1:27
Konteks1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
Markus 1:2
Konteks1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 1
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 2
Markus 12:1-44
Konteks12:1 Then 3 he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. 4 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 5 he leased it to tenant farmers 6 and went on a journey. 12:2 At harvest time he sent a slave 7 to the tenants to collect from them 8 his portion of the crop. 9 12:3 But 10 those tenants 11 seized his slave, 12 beat him, 13 and sent him away empty-handed. 14 12:4 So 15 he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 12:5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. 16 Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 12:7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 12:8 So 17 they seized him, 18 killed him, and threw his body 19 out of the vineyard. 20 12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy 21 those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 22 12:10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23
12:11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 24
12:12 Now 25 they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So 26 they left him and went away. 27
12:13 Then 28 they sent some of the Pharisees 29 and Herodians 30 to trap him with his own words. 31 12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality 32 but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 33 Is it right 34 to pay taxes 35 to Caesar 36 or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said 37 to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius 38 and let me look at it.” 12:16 So 39 they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image 40 is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, 41 “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 42 And they were utterly amazed at him.
12:18 Sadducees 43 (who say there is no resurrection) 44 also came to him and asked him, 45 12:19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man 46 must marry 47 the widow and father children 48 for his brother.’ 49 12:20 There were seven brothers. The first one married, 50 and when he died he had no children. 12:21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. 12:22 None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. 12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, 51 whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 52 12:24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived 53 for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God? 12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels 54 in heaven. 12:26 Now as for the dead being raised, 55 have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, 56 how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the 57 God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 58 12:27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. 59 You are badly mistaken!”
12:28 Now 60 one of the experts in the law 61 came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus 62 answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love 63 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 64 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 65 There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 66 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength 67 and to love your neighbor as yourself 68 is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.
12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law 69 say that the Christ 70 is David’s son? 71 12:36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said,
‘The Lord said to my lord, 72
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 73
12:37 If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 74 And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
12:38 In his teaching Jesus 75 also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. 76 They like walking 77 around in long robes and elaborate greetings 78 in the marketplaces, 12:39 and the best seats in the synagogues 79 and the places of honor at banquets. 12:40 They 80 devour widows’ property, 81 and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.”
12:41 Then 82 he 83 sat down opposite the offering box, 84 and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. 12:42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, 85 worth less than a penny. 12:43 He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, 86 this poor widow has put more into the offering box 87 than all the others. 88 12:44 For they all gave out of their wealth. 89 But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.” 90
Markus 4:41
Konteks4:41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? 91 Even the wind and sea obey him!” 92
Markus 4:5
Konteks4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground 93 where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 94
Markus 15:1-47
Konteks15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law 95 and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 96 15:2 So 97 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king 98 of the Jews?” He replied, 99 “You say so.” 100 15:3 Then 101 the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly. 15:4 So Pilate asked him again, 102 “Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!” 15:5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
15:6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, 103 whomever they requested. 15:7 A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection. 15:8 Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. 104 15:9 So Pilate asked them, 105 “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” 15:10 (For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) 106 15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release 107 Barabbas instead. 15:12 So Pilate spoke to them again, 108 “Then what do you want me to do 109 with the one you call king of the Jews?” 15:13 They shouted back, “Crucify 110 him!” 15:14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!” 15:15 Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, 111 after he had Jesus flogged, 112 he handed him over 113 to be crucified.
15:16 So 114 the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) 115 and called together the whole cohort. 116 15:17 They put a purple cloak 117 on him and after braiding 118 a crown of thorns, 119 they put it on him. 15:18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 120 15:19 Again and again 121 they struck him on the head with a staff 122 and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. 15:20 When they had finished mocking 123 him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then 124 they led him away to crucify him. 125
15:21 The soldiers 126 forced 127 a passerby to carry his cross, 128 Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country 129 (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 15:22 They brought Jesus 130 to a place called Golgotha 131 (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”). 132 15:23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, 133 but he did not take it. 15:24 Then 134 they crucified 135 him and divided his clothes, throwing dice 136 for them, to decide what each would take. 15:25 It was nine o’clock in the morning 137 when they crucified him. 15:26 The inscription 138 of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 15:27 And they crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left. 15:28 [[EMPTY]] 139 15:29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 15:30 save yourself and come down from the cross!” 140 15:31 In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 141 – were mocking him among themselves: 142 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 15:32 Let the Christ, 143 the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 144
15:33 Now 145 when it was noon, 146 darkness came over the whole land 147 until three in the afternoon. 148 15:34 Around three o’clock 149 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 150 15:35 When some of the bystanders heard it they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!” 151 15:36 Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, 152 put it on a stick, 153 and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down!” 15:37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. 15:38 And the temple curtain 154 was torn in two, from top to bottom. 15:39 Now when the centurion, 155 who stood in front of him, saw how he died, 156 he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 15:40 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, 157 and Salome. 15:41 When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. 158 Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem 159 were there too.
15:42 Now 160 when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 161 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, 162 who was himself looking forward to 163 the kingdom of God, 164 went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 165 15:44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He 166 called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 15:45 When Pilate 167 was informed by the centurion, 168 he gave the body to Joseph. 15:46 After Joseph 169 bought a linen cloth 170 and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. 171 Then 172 he rolled a stone across the entrance 173 of the tomb. 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body 174 was placed.
Markus 6:50
Konteks6:50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: 175 “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
[1:2] 1 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
[1:2] 2 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[12:1] 3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 4 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
[12:1] 5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 6 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
[12:2] 7 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
[12:2] sn This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
[12:2] 8 tn Grk “from the tenants,” but this is redundant in English, so the pronoun (“them”) was used in the translation.
[12:2] 9 tn Grk “from the fruits of the vineyard.”
[12:3] 10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[12:3] 11 tn Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:3] 12 tn Grk “seizing him, they beat and sent away empty-handed.” The referent of the direct object of “seizing” (the slave sent by the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The objects of the verbs “beat” and “sent away” have been supplied in the translation to conform to English style. Greek often omits direct objects when they are clear from the context.
[12:3] 13 sn The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
[12:3] 14 sn The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit – and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
[12:4] 15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.
[12:6] 16 tn Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at Mark 1:11.
[12:6] sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
[12:8] 17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:8] 18 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
[12:8] 20 sn Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
[12:9] 21 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.
[12:9] 22 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.
[12:10] 23 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
[12:10] sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Matt 21:42; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 in Mark 12:10-11 is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
[12:11] 24 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
[12:12] 25 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to introduce a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.
[12:12] 26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:12] 27 sn The point of the parable in Mark 12:1-12 is that the leaders of the nation have been rejected by God and the vineyard (v. 9, referring to the nation and its privileged status) will be taken from them and given to others (an allusion to the Gentiles).
[12:13] 28 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:13] 29 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
[12:13] 30 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
[12:13] 31 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[12:14] 32 tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[12:14] 33 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[12:14] 34 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[12:14] 35 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[12:14] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[12:14] 36 tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[12:15] 37 tn Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
[12:15] 38 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[12:15] sn A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.
[12:16] 39 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[12:16] 40 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[12:16] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[12:16] 41 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[12:17] 42 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[12:18] 43 sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). They also did not believe in resurrection or in angels, an important detail in v. 25. See also Matt 3:7, 16:1-12, 22:23-34; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 4:1, 5:17, 23:6-8.
[12:18] 44 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:18] 45 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[12:19] 46 tn Grk “his brother”; but this would be redundant in English with the same phrase “his brother” at the end of the verse, so most modern translations render this phrase “the man” (so NIV, NRSV).
[12:19] 47 tn The use of ἵνα (Jina) with imperatival force is unusual (BDF §470.1).
[12:19] 48 tn Grk “raise up seed” (an idiom for fathering children).
[12:19] 49 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
[12:20] 50 tn Grk “took a wife” (an idiom for marrying a woman).
[12:23] 51 tc The words “when they rise again” are missing from several important witnesses (א B C D L W Δ Ψ 33 579 892 2427 pc c r1 k syp co). They are included in A Θ Ë1,(13) Ï lat sys,h. The strong external pedigree of the shorter reading gives one pause. Nevertheless, the Alexandrian and other
[12:23] 52 tn Grk “For the seven had her as wife.”
[12:24] 53 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
[12:25] 54 sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
[12:26] 55 tn Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”
[12:26] 56 sn See Exod 3:6. Jesus used a common form of rabbinic citation here to refer to the passage in question.
[12:26] 57 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[12:26] 58 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
[12:27] 59 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
[12:28] 60 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[12:28] 61 tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:28] 62 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:30] 63 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
[12:30] 64 sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
[12:31] 65 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:32] 66 sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.
[12:33] 67 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.
[12:33] 68 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:35] 69 tn Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:35] 70 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[12:35] sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
[12:35] 71 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David’s son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
[12:36] 72 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
[12:36] 73 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[12:37] 74 tn Grk “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ So how is he his son?” The conditional nuance, implicit in Greek, has been made explicit in the translation (cf. Matt 22:45).
[12:38] 75 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:38] 76 tn Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:38] 77 tn In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39. It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.
[12:38] 78 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
[12:39] 79 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[12:40] 80 tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 38.
[12:40] 81 tn Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, TDNT 5:131; BDAG 695 s.v. οἶκια 1.a).
[12:41] 82 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:41] 83 tc Most
[12:41] 84 tn On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.
[12:41] sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200); 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294), and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Luke 21:1; John 8:20).
[12:42] 85 sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.
[12:43] 86 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[12:43] 87 tn See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41.
[12:43] 88 sn Has put more into the offering box than all the others. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.
[12:44] 89 tn Grk “out of what abounded to them.”
[12:44] 90 sn The contrast between this passage, 12:41-44, and what has come before in 11:27-12:40 is remarkable. The woman is set in stark contrast to the religious leaders. She was a poor widow, they were rich. She was uneducated in the law, they were well educated in the law. She was a woman, they were men. But whereas they evidenced no faith and actually stole money from God and men (cf. 11:17), she evidenced great faith and gave out of her extreme poverty everything she had.
[4:41] 91 sn Jesus’ authority over creation raised a question for the disciples about who he was exactly (Who then is this?). This verse shows that the disciples followed Jesus even though they did not know all about him yet.
[4:41] 92 sn This section in Mark (4:35-5:43) contains four miracles: (1) the calming of the storm; (2) the exorcism of the demon-possessed man; (3) the giving of life to Jairus’ daughter; (4) the healing of the woman hemorrhaging for twelve years. All these miracles demonstrate Jesus’ right to proclaim the kingdom message and his sovereign authority over forces, directly or indirectly, hostile to the kingdom. The last three may have been brought together to show that Jesus had power over all defilement, since contact with graves, blood, or a corpse was regarded under Jewish law as causing a state of ritual uncleanness.
[4:5] 93 sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
[4:5] 94 tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”
[15:1] 95 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[15:1] 96 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
[15:2] 97 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action in the narrative.
[15:2] 98 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
[15:2] 99 tn Grk “answering, he said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified for clarity.
[15:2] 100 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership (mentioned in Matt 26:64 and Luke 22:70).
[15:3] 101 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:4] 102 tn Grk “Pilate asked him again, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:6] 103 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:6] sn The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner to them is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39); see W. W. Wessel, “Mark,” EBC 8:773-74.
[15:8] 104 tn Grk “Coming up the crowd began to ask [him to do] as he was doing for them.”
[15:9] 105 tn Grk “Pilate answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:10] 106 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[15:11] 107 tn Grk “to have him release for them.”
[15:12] 108 tn Grk “answering, Pilate spoke to them again.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:12] 109 tc Instead of “what do you want me to do” several witnesses, including the most important ones (א B C W Δ Ψ Ë1,13 33 892 2427 pc), lack θέλετε (qelete, “you want”), turning the question into the more abrupt “what should I do?” Although the witnesses for the longer reading are not as significant (A D Θ 0250 Ï latt sy), the reading without θέλετε conforms to Matt 27:22 and thus is suspected of being a scribal emendation. The known scribal tendency to assimilate one synoptic passage to another parallel, coupled with the lack of such assimilation in
[15:13] 110 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
[15:15] 111 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:15] 112 tn The Greek term φραγελλόω (fragellow) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion…Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.”
[15:15] sn A Roman flogging (traditionally, “scourging”) was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such a beating died as a result. See C. Schneider, TDNT, 4:515-19.
[15:15] 113 tn Or “delivered him up.”
[15:16] 114 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the soldiers’ action is in response to Pilate’s condemnation of the prisoner in v. 15.
[15:16] 115 tn Grk “(that is, the praetorium).”
[15:16] sn The governor’s residence (Grk “praetorium”) was the Roman governor’s official residence. The one in Jerusalem may have been Herod’s palace in the western part of the city, or the fortress Antonia northwest of the temple area.
[15:16] 116 sn A Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers.
[15:17] 117 sn The purple cloak probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king (cf. 15:2).
[15:17] 119 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
[15:18] 120 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”
[15:18] sn The statement Hail, King of the Jews! is a mockery patterned after the Romans’ cry of Ave, Caesar (“Hail, Caesar!”).
[15:19] 121 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
[15:19] 122 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
[15:20] 123 tn The aorist tense is taken consummatively here.
[15:20] 124 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:20] 125 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
[15:21] 126 tn Grk “They”; the referent (the soldiers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:21] 127 tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”
[15:21] 128 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon.
[15:21] 129 tn Or perhaps, “was coming in from his field” outside the city (BDAG 15-16 s.v. ἀγρός 1).
[15:22] 131 tn Grk “a place, Golgotha.” This is an Aramaic name; see John 19:17.
[15:22] 132 sn The place called Golgotha (which is translated “Place of the Skull”). This location is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for the Greek term κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” is derived (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
[15:23] 133 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with myrrh (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
[15:24] 134 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:24] 135 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
[15:24] 136 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.
[15:24] sn An allusion to Ps 22:18.
[15:25] 137 tn Grk “It was the third hour.” This time would have been approximate, and could refer to the beginning of the process, some time before Jesus was lifted on the cross.
[15:26] 138 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
[15:28] 139 tc Most later
[15:30] 140 sn There is rich irony in the statement of those who were passing by, “Save yourself and come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. There is a similar kind of irony in the statement made by the chief priests and experts in the law in 15:31.
[15:31] 141 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22. Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
[15:31] 142 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said among themselves.”
[15:32] 143 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[15:32] sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
[15:32] 144 sn Mark’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
[15:33] 145 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[15:33] 146 tn Grk “When the sixth hour had come.”
[15:33] 147 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
[15:33] 148 tn Grk “until the ninth hour.”
[15:34] 149 tn The repetition of the phrase “three o’clock” preserves the author’s rougher, less elegant style (cf. Matt 27:45-46; Luke 23:44). Although such stylistic matters are frequently handled differently in the translation, because the issue of synoptic literary dependence is involved here, it was considered important to reflect some of the stylistic differences among the synoptics in the translation, so that the English reader can be aware of them.
[15:34] 150 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
[15:35] 151 sn Perhaps the crowd thought Jesus was calling for Elijah because the exclamation “my God, my God” (i.e., in Aramaic, Eloi, Eloi) sounds like the name Elijah.
[15:36] 152 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
[15:38] 154 tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.
[15:39] 155 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.
[15:39] 156 tn Grk “the way he breathed his last”; or “the way he expired”; or “that he thus breathed no more.”
[15:40] 157 sn In Matt 27:56 the name Joses is written as Joseph.
[15:41] 158 tn Grk “and ministered to him.”
[15:41] 159 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:42] 160 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
[15:42] 161 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
[15:43] 162 tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
[15:43] 163 tn Or “waiting for.”
[15:43] 164 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
[15:43] 165 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
[15:44] 166 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[15:45] 167 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:45] 168 sn See the note on the word centurion in 15:39.
[15:46] 169 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:46] 170 tn The term σινδών (sindwn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
[15:46] 171 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
[15:46] 172 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:46] 173 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
[15:47] 174 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Jesus’ body) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
