Mark 11:32

Mar 11:32 . ἀλλὰ εἲπωμεν , ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ; = but suppose we say, from men? ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν ὄχλον . Here Mk. thinks for them instead of letting them think for themselves as in Mt. (Mat 11:26 , φοβούμεθα ) = they were afraid of the multitude. ἅπαντες γὰρ , etc.: here again the construction is somewhat crude Ἰωάννην by attraction, object of the verb εἶχον instead of the subject of ἦν , and ὄντως by trajection separated from the verb it qualifies, ἦν , giving this sense: for all held John truly that he was a prophet = for all held that John was indeed a prophet.

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

A reward of an evil conscience to be afraid of those, of whom they should and might have been feared.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 32. They feared the people] Or rather, We fear, c. Instead of εφοβουντο, they feared the Codex Bezae, seven others, later Syriac, Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and all the Itala, read φοβουμεν, or φοβουμεθα. The common reading appearing to me quite improper.

WE fear the people. εαν, if, before ειπωμεν, we shall say, is omitted by ABCEFGHLS, and more than fifty others. Bengel leaves it out of the text, and puts a note of interrogation after εξ ανθρωπων; and then the whole passage reads thus: But shall we say, Of men? They feared the people, c. This change renders the adoption of φοβουμεν, we fear, unnecessary. Several critics prefer this mode of distinguishing the text. However the critics may be puzzled with the text, the scribes, chief priests, and elders were worse puzzled with our Lord's question. They must convict themselves or tell a most palpable falsehood. - They told the lie, and so escaped for the present.

1. ENVY, malice, and double dealing have always a difficult part to act, and are ultimately confounded by their own projects and ruined by their own operations. On the other hand, simplicity and sincerity are not obliged to use a mask, but always walk in a plain way.

2. The case of the barren fig-tree which our Lord cursed has been pitifully misunderstood and misapplied. The whole account of this transaction, as stated above, I believe to be correct it is so much in our Lord's usual manner that the propriety of it will scarcely be doubted. He was ever acting the part of the philosopher, moralist, and divine, as well as that of the Saviour of sinners. In his hand, every providential occurrence and every object of nature, became a means of instruction: the stones of the desert, the lilies of the field, the fowls of heaven, the beasts of the forest, fruitful and unfruitful trees, with every ordinary occurrence, were so many grand texts, from which he preached the most illuminating and impressive sermons, for the instruction and salvation of his audience. This wisdom and condescension cannot be sufficiently admired. But shall the example of the fruitless fig tree be lost on us as well as on the Jews? God forbid! Let us therefore take heed, lest having been so long unfruitful, God should say, Let no fruit appear on thee hereafter for ever! and in consequence of this, we wither and die away! See Clarke on Mr 11:27.

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

(32) That he was a prophet indeed.—The intensifying adverb is one of St. Mark’s graphic touches of emphasis.

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

32. if we shall say, Of men] Observe the impressive abruptness here, which is more significant than the full expression of St Matthew (Mat_21:26) and St Luke (Luk_20:6). They dared not face the alternative, and were driven to a feeble evasion.

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 they answered and said unto Jesus,.... Being reduced by this dilemma to the greatest streight and difficulty;

we cannot tell: they could, if they would, but they did not care to tell; they knew if they did, they should expose themselves one way or other:

and Jesus answering, saith unto them, neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things; See Gill on Mat 21:27.

Next: Mark Chapter 12

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

32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

Ver. 32. {See Trapp on "Mat 21:26"}

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.

32. ὄχλον ([2600][2601][2602][2603] 33) rather than λαόν ([2604][2605][2606][2607][2608][2609][2610]), which Mk never uses in his narrative.

[2600] 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.

[2601] 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.

[2602] 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.

[2603] 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.

[2604] 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.

[2605] 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.

[2606] 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.

[2607] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2608] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2609] 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.

[2610] 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.

32. ἀλλὰ εἴπωμεν. This is probably the interrogative deliberative subjunctive; But shall we say, From men? (R.V. marg.). Cf. δῶμεν ἢ μὴ δῶμεν (Mar 12:14).

ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν ὄχλον. This abrupt return to his own narrative is in Mk’s style, and it is effective. The abruptness is avoided by Mt. and Lk., who include the fear of stoning in the deliberations of the deputation. They both omit ὄντως, which Mk has nowhere else. It qualifies εἶχον (R.V.), not προφήτης (A.V.); the people were thoroughly convinced that John was a Prophet. Their joy in recognizing him as such had been intense; and their resentment would have been intense if the hierarchy had attempted to rob them of this satisfaction. Note the strong form ἅπαντες, which is rare in Mk (Mar 1:27, Mar 8:25), but very freq. in Lk. and Acts; “every one of them had this feeling about John.” This use of ἔχω may be a Latinism. Blass § 70. 2.

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.

32.] The ἐάν being omitted as spurious, a note of interrogation must be set after ἀνθρ.—a question which is answered by the Evangelist, ‘quoniam haud facile quisquam sibi aperte timorem adscribere consuevit.’ Rinck. in Meyer.

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

32. ἀλλὰ εἴπωμεν, Ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν λαόν.—but shall we say, From men? they feared the people.1

Omit ἐὰν, if, before εἴπωμεν, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א ABCL Δ 33.

Lk. says, the people will stone us.1 Herod seems to have had the same wholesome fear of John’s popularity.2 ἅπαντες γὰρ εἶχον ὄντως τὸν Ἰωάννην, ὅτι προφήτης ἦν—for all verily held John to be a prophet.3 A prophet is in Greek an interpreter of oracles, in the Biblical language a speaker of Divine oracles, an inspired man. This dilemma of the authorities was owing to the fact that the case cited by Jesus was one in which their verdict did not agree with the popular verdict. The authority of John was approved by the people, and disallowed by them, and the popular feeling was too strong about it for them to defy.

ὄντως ὅτι, instead of ὅτι ὄντως, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. אc BCL13, 69, 346 Δ ὄντως ὡς προφήτην.

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