Mark 10:37

10:37 The brothers’ request indicates that James and John correctly understood that Jesus was the Messiah (see 8:29; 9:2-8). However, they completely misunderstood what it meant to be a leader in God’s Kingdom (10:41-45).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 37. In thy glory.] In the kingdom of thy glory-three MSS. Which kingdom they expected to be established on earth.

And be baptized] OR, be baptized. Instead of και and η or, is the reading of BCDL, five others, Coptic, Armenian, later Syriac in the margin, Vulgate, all the Itala, and Origen. See Clarke on Mt 20:22.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. that we may sit] The mention of Thrones (Mat_19:28), as in reversion for the Twelve at the coming of their Master in glory, may have suggested the idea to the aspiring Three. This session on the right hand and on the left was a Jewish form of expression for being next to the king in honour.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But to sit on my right hand and on my left, is mine to give,.... There being no such places in his kingdom in the sense they petitioned; and as for the glories of the heavenly state or eternal life, the gift of these was not to be settled now it being done already: and though he had a power to give yet only to them who were given him of his Father and who were ordained to such happiness as it follows:

but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared; that is, of his Father as is expressed in Mat 20:23 which is not to be understood as excluding these two persons but as including all others with them for whom the kingdom was prepared before the foundation of the world: the Ethiopic version therefore wrongly renders the words "but to sit on my right hand and on my left, I do not give to you, it is prepared for other": the Jew (g) very badly concludes from hence against the deity of Christ and his unity with the Father he not having power to do this; whereas Christ does not say he had no power to give this honour, but only describes the persons to whom he should give it; and these being persons for whom it, is prepared by his Father instead of destroying, proves their unity.

(g) R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 20. p. 409.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

Ver. 37. {See Trapp on "Mat 20:21"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. ἀριστερῶν ([2324][2325][2326][2327]) rather than εὐωνύμων ([2328][2329][2330][2331][2332][2333][2334][2335]).

[2324] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2325] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2326] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[2327] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[2328] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2329] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[2330] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[2331] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2332] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mar 5:20 to Mar 7:4; Mar 7:20 to Mar 8:32; Mar 9:1 to Mar 10:43; Mar 11:7 to Mar 12:19; Mar 14:25 to Mar 15:23; Mar 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[2333] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2334] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2335] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

37. ἐκ δεξιῶν. Both here and Mat 20:21, Vulg. has ad dexteram tuam, although ab dextera would have been good Latin and closer to the Greek. In English we must say either “on” or “to.” See crit. note. Cf. Joseph. Ant. VI. xi. 9 on the value of the right hand and the left hand places.

ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου. The brothers may be thinking of Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration (Mar 9:4), or of what was said before it (Mar 8:38).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. Οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῶ, Δὸς ἡμῖν ἵνα2 εἷς σου ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς3 ἐξ ἀριστερῶν καθίσωμεν ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου4—and they said to him, give us to sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory.

ἀριστερῶν, instead of εὐωνύμων, Tisch. Treg. WH. BL Δ. Omit σου in this place, Treg. WH. RV. BD Δ 1, mss. Lat. Vet.

ἐκ δεξιῶν … ἐξ ἀριστερῶν—these are the positions of honor next to the throne itself, the right hand having the precedence. This leaves Peter out. ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου—in thy glory. The glory, that is, of the Messianic king.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.