Mark 11–12

Footnotes

1. 1 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
2. 2 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
3. 3 The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
4. 4 “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
5. 5 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6. 6 Grk “the village lying before you” ( κατέναντι 2.b).
7. 7 Grk “a colt tied there on which no one of men has ever sat.”
8. 8 The custom called angaria allowed the impressment of animals for service to a significant figure.
9. 9 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
10. 10 Grk “they”; the referent (the people mentioned in v. 5) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11. 11 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
12. 12 Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
13. 13 See Zech 9:9, a prophecy fulfilled here (cf. Matt 21:5; John 12:15.
14. 14 The expression Ὡσαννά (hōsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25–26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” The introductory ὡσαννά is followed by the words of Ps 118:25, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου (eulogēmenos ho erchomenos en onomati kuriou), although in the Fourth Gospel the author adds for good measure καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ (kai ho basileus tou Israēl). In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, 9:682–84. Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.
15. 15 A quotation from Ps 118:25–26.
16. 16 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the transition from the previous narrative.
17. 17 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18. 18 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
19. 19 Grk “anything.”
20. 20 Grk “And answering, he said to it.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) is redundant and has not been translated.
21. 21 Mark 11:12–14. The incident of the cursing of the fig tree occurs before he enters the temple for a third time (11:27ff) and is questioned at length by the religious leaders (11:27–12:40). It appears that Mark records the incident as a portent of what is going to happen to the leadership in Jerusalem who were supposed to have borne spiritual fruit but have been found by Messiah at his coming to be barren. The fact that the nation as a whole is indicted is made explicit in chapter 13:1–37 where Jesus speaks of Jerusalem’s destruction and his second coming.
22. 22 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
23. 23 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
24. 24 Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
25. 25 Grk “the temple.” The merchants (those who were selling) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.
26. 26 Grk “the temple.” Matthew (21:12–27), Mark (here, 11:15–19), and Luke (19:45–46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13–16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.
27. 27 Or “things.” The Greek word σκεῦος (skeuos) can refer to merchandise, property, goods, a vessel, or even generally “things” (but in the sense of some implement or tool). The idea here is almost certainly restricted to merchandise, rather than the more general “things,” although some suggest from the parallel with Berakhot 9.5 that Jesus was not even allowing sandals, staffs, or coin-purses to be carried through the court. The difficulty with this interpretation, however, is that it is fundamentally an appeal to Jewish oral tradition (something Jesus rarely sided with) as well as being indiscriminate toward all the worshipers.
28. 28 Grk “the temple.”
29. 29 The imperfect ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken) is here taken ingressively.
30. 30 A quotation from Isa 56:7.
31. 31 Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
32. 32 A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.
33. 33 Or “The chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
34. 34 Grk “how they could destroy him.”
35. 35 Grk “they”; the referents (Jesus and his disciples) have been specified in the translation for clarity. Without such clarification there is room for considerable confusion here, since there are two prior sets of plural referents in the context, “the chief priests and experts in the law” and “the whole crowd” (both in v. 18).
36. 36 Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
37. 37 Although the Greek subjunctive mood, formally required in a subordinate clause introduced by ἵνα (hina), is traditionally translated by an English subjunctive (e.g., “may,” so , , , ), changes in the use of the subjunctive in English now result in most readers understanding such a statement as indicating permission (“may” = “has permission to”) or as indicating uncertainty (“may” = “might” or “may or may not”). Thus a number of more recent translations render such instances by an English future tense (“will,” so , , , 1995 update). That approach has been followed here.
38. 38 A number of significant of various texttypes (א B L W Δ Ψ 565 700 892 sa) do not include 11:26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins.” The verse is included in most later (A [C D] Θ [f1, 13 33] 𝔐 lat) and is not likely to be original. It is probably an assimilation to Matt 6:15. The present translation follows in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.
39. 39 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
40. 40 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41. 41 Grk “the temple.”
42. 42 Or “the chief priests, the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
43. 43 On this phrase, see ποῖος 2.a.γ.
44. 44 The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is probably used here (and in v. 32) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. , , “of human origin”; , “from human beings”; , “merely human”). The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.
45. 45 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
46. 46 Grk “answering, they said to Jesus.” The participle ἀποκριθέντες (apokrithentes) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified to conform to English style.
47. 47 Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were—hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Mark 11:27–33 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
48. 48 Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.
49. 49 On this phrase, see ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 28.
50. 1 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
51. 2 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.
52. 3 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
53. 4 The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
54. 5 See the note on the word “slave” in . This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
55. 6 Grk “from the tenants,” but this is redundant in English, so the pronoun (“them”) was used in the translation.
56. 7 Grk “from the fruits of the vineyard.”
57. 8 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
58. 9 Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
59. 10 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.
60. 11 The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
61. 12 The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit—and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
62. 13 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.
63. 14 Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at . The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
64. 15 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
65. 16 Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
66. 17 Grk “him.”
67. 18 Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
68. 19 The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34–35; 19:41–44.
69. 20 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.
70. 21 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 (kephalē gōnias) refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone. 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.
71. 22 A quotation from Ps 118:22–23.
72. 23 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to introduce a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.
73. 24 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
74. 25 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).
75. 26 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
76. 27 See the note on Pharisees in .
77. 28 Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” 8:) 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 .
78. 29 Grk “trap him in word.”
79. 30 Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
80. 31 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.
81. 32 Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see §409.3.
82. 33 According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (kēnsos) was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government. 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.
83. 34 Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
84. 35 Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
85. 36 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 (dēnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note. A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.
86. 37 Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
87. 38 Or “whose likeness.” In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikōn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 () 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.
88. 39 Grk “they said to him.”
89. 40 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.
90. 41 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, 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164–166]; 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]; 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.
91. 42 This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
92. 43 Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
93. 44 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 , ).
94. 45 The use of ἵνα (hina) with imperatival force is unusual ( §470.1).
95. 46 Grk “raise up seed” (an idiom for fathering children).
96. 47 A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1–12; , Yevamot; Josephus, 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.
97. 48 Grk “took a wife” (an idiom for marrying a woman).
98. 49 The words “when they rise again” are missing from several important witnesses (א B C D L W Δ Ψ 33 579 892 2427 c r1 k syp co). They are included in A Θ f1, (13) 𝔐 lat sys,h. The strong external pedigree of the shorter reading gives one pause. Nevertheless, the Alexandrian and other most likely dropped the words from the text either to conform the wording to the parallel in Matt 22:28 or because “when they rise again” was redundant. But the inclusion of these words is thoroughly compatible with Mark’s usually pleonastic style (see ), and therefore most probably authentic to Mark’s Gospel.
99. 50 Grk “For the seven had her as wife.”
100. 51 Or “mistaken” (cf. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
101. 52 Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition ( 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 51:10; 3.21–23).
102. 53 Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”
103. 54 See Exod 3:6. Jesus used a common form of rabbinic citation here to refer to the passage in question.
104. 55 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.
105. 56 A quotation from Exod 3:6.
106. 57 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.
107. 58 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
108. 59 Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
109. 60 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
110. 61 Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see and ).
111. 62 A quotation from Deut 6:4–5 and Josh 22:5 (). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
112. 63 A quotation from Lev 19:18.
113. 64 A quotation from Deut 4:35.
114. 65 A quotation from Deut 6:5.
115. 66 A quotation from Lev 19:18.
116. 67 Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
117. 68 Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” See the note on Christ in .
118. 69 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.
119. 70 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.
120. 71 A quotation from Ps 110:1.
121. 72 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).
122. 73 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
123. 74 Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
124. 75 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.
125. 76 There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, 1:498.
126. 77 See the note on synagogue in .
127. 78 Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 38.
128. 79 Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, 5:131; οἶκια 1.a).
129. 80 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
130. 81 Most , predominantly of the Western and Byzantine texts (A D W Θ f1, 13 33 2542 𝔐 lat), have ὁ Ἰησοῦς (ho Iēsous, “Jesus”) as the explicit subject here, while א B L Δ Ψ 892 2427 lack the name. A natural scribal tendency is to expand the text, especially to add the Lord’s name as the explicit subject of a verb. Scribes much less frequently omitted the Lord’s name (cf. the readings of W Θ 565 1424 in Mark 12:17). The internal and external evidence support one another here in behalf of the shorter reading.
131. 82 On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazophulakion), often translated “treasury,” see , which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. to , 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 following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself. 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, 5.5.2 (5.200); 6.5.2 (6.282); 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).
132. 83 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.
133. 84 Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
134. 85 See the note on the term “offering box” in v. .
135. 86 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.
136. 87 Grk “out of what abounded to them.”
137. 88 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.