The Gospel of Mark
The Problem of the Ending of the Gospel of Mark
It is generally held that the Gospel of Mark originally ended at 16:8.
Several attempts were made by later Christian scribes to complete
what seems to be an inappropriate ending to the original Gospel.The abrupt ending at 16:8 is variously attributed to:
1. mutilation of the original autograph, or
2. Mark's premature death, or
3. deliberate suppression.
The Original Ending of the Gospel of Mark:
16:1 When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, and
Mary the mother of James, and
Salome bought spices,
so that they might go and anoint him.16:2 And very early on the first day of the week (HMERA MIA see below 16:9)
when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.16:3 They had been saying to one another,
"Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?"
16:4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large,
had already been rolled back.16:5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man,
dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side;
and they were alarmed.
16:6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed;
you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Look, there is the place they laid him.16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter
that he is going ahead of you to Galilee;
there you will see him, just as he told you."
16:8 So they went out and fled from the tomb,
for terror and amazement had seized them;
and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Alternative Endings Found in Various Ancient Manuscripts
1) The "Longer Ending," verses 16:9-20,
which are found in today's English translations,
are thought to have been added later because:a) The Witness of the Most Important Ancient Manuscripts
Mark 16:9-20 is omitted in:
1. the two most important ancient manuscripts of the New Testament,
the 4th century uncial codices:
Sinaiticus, (Mark 16:8) (Facsimiles)
Vaticanus, (Mark 16:8)
2. the most important Sinaitic Syriac text and
3. important manuscripts of the Georgian, Armenian, and Ethiopian versions.This ending is combined with still another shorter ending in other uncial manuscripts
as well as in Sahidic Coptic, and other Syriac and Ethiopian manuscripts.b. The Witness of the Most Ancient Christian Writers
Irenaeus of Lyons is the only writer who refers it before the 4th century.
Eusebius and Jerome, the great Greek and Latin Bible scholars of the 4th century
attest that it was missing from almost all the Greek manuscripts known to them.There is an ancient witness preserved in an Armenian manuscript
that Mark 16:9-20 was written by the Presbyter Aristion
who is mentioned by Papias (130 A.D.) as a disciple of the Apostle John.c. Internal Linguistic and Theological Witnesses
The vocabulary and style of this passage are not Mark's.
(Compare 16:2 to 16:9)
The Christology of this passage differs from Mark's.
(See the reference to Jesus as Lord at 16:19-20)
It is a summary of the post-resurrection stories found in the other canonical Gospels.The Longer Ending:
16:9 Now after he rose early on the first day of the week (HMERA PRWTH see above 16:2),
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.16:10 She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping.
16:11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.16:12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.
16:13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.16:14 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
16:15 And he said to them,
"Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.
16:16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe:
by using my name they will cast out demons;
they will speak in new tongues;
16:18 they will pick up snakes in their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them;
they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."16:19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them,
was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
16:20 And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.2) The "Shorter Ending" has very weak support among the manuscripts
1. two uncials,
2. several minuscules, and
3. some Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopian manuscripts.The "shorter ending" also is written in a style and vocabulary
that is completely different from Mark's.
It is an attempt by another scribe to complete the abrupt ending
of the original Gospel of Mark.The Shorter Ending:
"And all that had been commanded them
they made known briefly to those about Peter.
And afterwards Jesus himself appeared to them,
and from the East as far as the West sent forth through them
the sacred and incorruptible proclamation of eternal salvation."3) The "Freer Logion" appears after Mark 16:14
in an important 4th/5th century uncial manuscript
now in the Freer Museum in Washington, D.C."And they replied saying,
'This age of lawlessness and unbelief is under Satan,
who by means of evil spirits does not permit
the true power of God to be apprehended;
therefore reveal thy righteousness now.'
They were speaking to Christ, and Christ said to them in reply:
'The limit of the years of the authority of Satan has been fulfilled,
but other terrible things draw near, even for the sinners
on whose behalf I was delivered up to death,
that they might turn to the truth and sin no more,
in order that they may inherit the spiritual and incorruptible glory
of righteousness which is in heaven.'"
