Mark 11:18

Mar 11:18-19. The scribes, &c., sought how they might destroy him — They had heard the rebuke which he had given them for allowing the temple to be profaned, and they had heard likewise the application which he had made of a passage in the eighth Psalm to the case of the children in the temple, wishing him all manner of prosperity; and these things, with the authority which he assumed, galled and exasperated them greatly. They were, however, afraid to take him by violence, or to attempt any thing openly against him, lest it should raise a tumult: they only consulted among themselves how they might destroy him with as little noise as possible; because all the people were astonished at his doctrine — Both at the excellence of it, and at the majesty and authority with which he taught.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:18 The leading priests and teachers of religious law plotted to kill Jesus because they feared him. His great influence among the people, the amazement created by his actions, and the influence of his teaching threatened their position (see 3:6; 12:12; 14:1-2, 10-11). Their response shows that reform was not enough: God’s judgment was necessary.

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

Mar 11:18. Καὶ, and) They either had approved of that traffic as lawful, or as a source of gain: or else they thought that it ought to have been done away with rather by their agency than by His.-—ἐφοβοῦντο, they feared) Therefore they sought for artifices.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 11:18 . πῶς , the purpose to get rid of Jesus fixed, but the how puzzling because of the esteem in which He was held.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(18) They feared him.—Peculiar to St. Mark. Note also his omission of the facts recorded by St. Matthew: (1) the healing of the blind and the lame in the Temple; (2) the children crying Hosanna.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. chief priests] This title was applied to (i) the high-priest properly so called; (ii) to all who had held the high-priesthood (the office under Roman sway no longer lasting for life, and becoming little more than annual); (iii) the heads of the twenty-four courses (1 Chronicles 24, Luk_1:9).

was astonished at his doctrine] and hung upon His lips eager to hear Him (Luk_19:48), and while He was thus high in favour, no one knew how far they might not be disposed to rise on His behalf, if an open effort was made to seize Him. Caution was therefore essential.

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.

And the Scribes and chief priests heard it,.... The reproof he gave to the money changers, and buyers, and sellers in the temple; and his strict prohibition that none should carry any vessels through it; and the argument he used from the prophecy of Isaiah, and the sharp rebuke he gave for the profanation of the holy place:

and sought how they might destroy him: they took counsel together to take away his life, for they hated reformation:

for they feared him; lest he should go on to make great changes and alterations among them, which would affect their credit and character, and their gains also, and draw the people after him:

because all the people were astonished at his doctrine; both as to the matter of it, which were such words as never man spake; and, as to the manner of it, being with such majesty, power, and authority, as the Scribes and Pharisees taught not with; and also at the miracles, by which it was confirmed, as well as at the reformation and discipline he was introducing; which was done with such an air of sovereignty and power, as was amazing.

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

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

Ver. 18. Astonished at his doctrine] While they hung upon his holy lips, Luk 19:48.

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.

What effect this strong reproof of our Saviour had upon the Jewish priests, and other ministers of the temple, is related by the evangelist in the subsequent words: they sought how they might destroy him. Still they were obliged to protract their iniquitous designs for a short time, as the multitude were in admiration of his doctrines. (Gloss.) --- It was on a Tuesday that Jesus Christ discussed various subjects in the temple, his mission, the duties we owe to society, the resurrection of the body, &c. &c.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

And the chief priests and the scribes this is the right order of the wordsheard it (hkousan), and sought (ezhtoun) began to seek, or were seeking (imperfect) how they might destroy him (apolesousin). They were seeking how they might, not only put him to death, but "utterly destroy him," stamp out his name and influence as a great spiritual energy in the world. This action of his raised them to the highest pitch of fury and indignation. Their authority and their interests were attacked. But the people still acknowledged his power; and the scribes and Pharisees feared the people.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They feared him - That is, they were afraid to take him by violence, lest it should raise a tumult; because all the people were astonished at his teaching - Both at the excellence of his discourse, and at the majesty and authority with which he taught.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

18. οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς. So in [2633][2634][2635][2636][2637][2638][2639][2640]. The order in A.V. has little authority. For the first time in Mk, Mt. and Lk., the chief priests appear in active hostility to Christ. Their gains were being touched. It was as when Luther attacked Pope and clergy and denounced the sale of indulgences. If the Temple-market was stopped, “the hope of their gain was gone.” Note the change of tense.

[2633] 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.

[2634] 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.

[2635] 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.

[2636] 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.

[2637] 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.

[2638] 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.

[2639] 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.

[2640] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ὄχλος. So in [2641][2642][2643][2644]. Lk. characteristically has ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἅπας, which calls attention to the fact that the multitude was a Jewish one and representative of the whole nation, for Jews from all parts of the world were now collecting for the Passover. This second γάρ is remarkable; it explains why the hierarchy feared Christ. Not because of His miracles; no one had ever heard of His harming anyone by word or touch; but because this representative multitude was “amazed at His teaching,” so different from that of the Scribes, and “hung on His lips, listening.”

[2641] 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.

[2642] 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.

[2643] 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.

[2644] 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.

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.

18.] πᾶς ὁ ὄχλ …] This remark, given by Mark and Luke, is omitted by Matt.: probably because he has given us so much of the διδαχή, itself.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς κ. οἱ γραμματεῖς—the chief priests and the scribes. These were the constituted authorities, who had licensed this desecration of the Temple. They sold these rights to the traders, and they resented this invasion of their constituted rights. Together, they constituted the main body of the Sanhedrim.1 The overthrow of evil everywhere, which was the evident mission of this daring innovator, menaced them.

οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς, instead of the reverse order, א ABCDKL ΔΠ Latt. Memph. Pesh. πῶς ἀπολέσωσιν, how they may destroy, instead of πῶς ἀπολέσουσιν, how they shall destroy, Tisch. Treg. WH. and most sources.

ἐφοβοῦντο γὰρ αὐτόν· πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ὄχλος ἐξεπλήσσετο2 ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ3—for they were afraid of him; for all the multitude was amazed at his teaching.

πᾶς γὰρ, instead of ὅτι πᾶς, because all, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. אBC Δ 1, 13, 28, 69, 346, Memph.

The power that Jesus had to carry the multitude with him, so that they stood amazed at the strength and authority of his teaching, made the rulers fear him. τῇ διδαχῇ—his teaching. Doctrine is a poor translation, first because it omits everything belonging to the manner, and secondly, because it has acquired a technical meaning that does not belong to διδαχή.

THE FIG TREE WITHERED

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