Mark 14:30

Mar_14:30

Thou shall deny Me thrice.

Danger of self-ignorance

The Dougal, an old line of battle ship, which has been lying in Portsmouth Harbour since her return from a cruise on the China station, in 1871, has been recently docked for the purpose of alterations, so as to fit her for taking the place of the Vernon, torpedo and depot ship. During an examination of her interior, one of the workmen came across a live shell in a disused corner of the ship. The projectile must have lain where it was found for over fourteen years. This was a startling discovery; but had no examination of the interior been required, the missile would not even now have been found. How forcibly the story illustrates the need we have for careful and frequent search into our own hearts! Possibly the projectile had been placed in the disused corner of the ship by an enemy; or, on the other hand, it may have been concealed ready to hurl at the foe. Anyhow, it was a dangerous thing to have stowed away, for at any moment it might have exploded, and destroyed the vessel. Self-examination is ever beneficial, and often leads to the startling discovery of some most dangerous evil that lay long concealed in the disused corners of the heart. That we may be fitted to take our right place in Gods service, and go forth to our work with His approval, let a thorough examination be made, and let all evil be removed. (Robert Spurgeon.)

Good resolutions soon forgotten

Note how suddenly even a good man is turned from good resolutions, if but a little left to himself, or if he remit but a little of his own watchfulness. In a few hours this confident disciple, who scorned to think of denying his Master, denies and forswears Him too.

1. We stand by grace, which, if not every moment renewed, we must needs fall; as in the case of a man supported by a crutch-remove the crutch, and he falls down; or set a staff upright, withdraw the hand, and you need not push it down, it goes of itself.

2. The suddenness of the temptation, which comes like lightning, and our proneness to be kindled with it.

3. The freedom of the Spirit, who comes and goes at His own pleasure.

(1) This should keep us humble, no matter how holy a state we get into. The gun may at any time suddenly disappear under a cloud.

(2) Let us watch our graces well, and forecast temptation.

(3) Let us depend on the Spirit of God to perfect and accomplish His own good motions, and leave us not to ourselves, who can quickly quench them.

4. No wonder if the righteousness of hypocrites be as the morning dew (Hos_6:4). (Dr. Thomas Taylor.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 14:30. Σὺ, thou) In antithesis to “yet will not I,” Mar 14:29.—ἢ δὶς, before that twice) A very striking circumstance, that Peter would not collect [recover] himself at the first cock-crowing. [Comp. note on Mat 26:34.]

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

Mar 14:30 . To this over-confident ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγώ of the disciple, the Master returns a very pointed and peremptory reply: I tell thee that thou ( σὺ emphatic) to-day ( σήμερον ), on this night (more precise indication of time), before the cock crow twice (still more precise indication of time), shall deny me, not once, but again and again and again ( τρίς ).

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

Verse 30. That THOU] συ is added by ABEGHKLMS-V, eighty-eight others, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Saxon, Theophylact, and Euthymsus. It adds much to the energy of the passage, every word of which is deeply emphatical. Verily, I say unto thee, that THOU, THIS DAY, in THIS VERY NIGHT, before the cock shall crow TWICE, THOU wilt deny ME.

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

(30) Before the cock crow twice.—The word “twice” is omitted in many MSS. It agrees, however, with the emphatic mention of the cock crowing a “second time” in Mar_14:72, and with the form of the prediction in the same verse, and may fairly be regarded as the true reading, the omission in some MSS. being accidental.

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

30. in this night] Before the dawn of the morrow should streak the eastern sky, and in the darkness the cock should twice have crowed, he who had declared he would never be offended, would thrice deny that he had ever known his Lord. St Mark, as usual, records two points which enhance the force of the warning and the guilt of Peter, viz. (a) that the cock should crow twice, and (b) that after such warning he repeated his protestation with greater vehemence.

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 he spake the more vehemently,.... With a louder voice; with more spirit and eagerness; in a more peremptory and self-confident way.

If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. The Syriac version adds, "O my Lord", my dear Lord, I will never deny thee upon any consideration whatever; and the Persic version, O Lord:

likewise also said they all; as he said, so said "all the disciples", as the Syriac version reads it; See Gill on Mat 26:35.

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

Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice. The day had begun. It began at six in the evening. It was already advanced. This second crowing of the cock is mentioned by St. Mark only; and it forms an additional aggravation of Peter"s sin. The "cockcrowing" was a term used for one of the divisions of the night. (see Mar_13:35) But it appears that there were three times at which the cock-crowing might be expected namely,

(1) early in the night, between eleven and twelve;

(2) between one and two; and

(3) between five and six.

The two cock crowings here referred to would be the two last of the three here mentioned. It would probably be about 2 a.m., when the first trial of our Lord took place in the house of Caiaphas.

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

Truly I say to you

This indicates that the statement that follows is especially true and important. See how you translated this in Mark 3:28.

rooster crows

The rooster is a bird that calls out very early in the morning. The loud sound he makes is "crowing."

twice

two times

you will deny me

"you will say that you do not know me"

If I must die

"Even if I must die"

They all made the same promise

This means that all of the disciples said the same thing that Peter said.

translationWords

Jesus

amen

die

promise

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

30. [3160][3161][3162][3163] omit δίς, but it may be retained ([3164][3165][3166]2[3167][3168][3169][3170][3171]).

[3160] 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.

[3161] 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.

[3162] An asterisk denotes that the word is not found elsewhere in N.T., and such words are included in the index, even if there is no note on them in the commentary.

[3163] 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.

[3164] 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.

[3165] 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.

[3166] 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.

[3167] 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.

[3168] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[3169] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[3170] 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.

[3171] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

30. Ἀμὴν λέγω σοι. The prediction of his almost immediate failure is made with great solemnity: λέγω σοι is in all four Gospels, and Lk. and Jn are quite independent of the other two and of one another. Lk. and Jn place the prediction in the supper-room, Mk and Mt. place it during the walk from the room to the Mount of Olives, and Lk.’s narrative differs considerably from Jn’s. Some suppose that there were three predictions, two in the room and one afterwards. It is unlikely that the prediction was repeated. These divergences about details are of little moment, and we have no means of determining which tradition is nearest to the actual facts. See on Joh 13:38.

σὺ σήμερον ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτί. The σύ, though omitted by [3327][3328][3329][3330] and Old Latin texts, is probably genuine; it answers to Peter’s confident ἐγώ. We have here another instance of Mk’s fulness, and of Mt. and Lk. each taking different parts of Mk’s full expression, Lk. having σήμερον and Mt. ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτί. See on Mar 1:32; Mar 1:42, Mar 15:26. According to Jewish reckoning the day had begun at sunset, and σήμερον would mean “before the next sunset.” “This night” therefore greatly abbreviates “to-day.” The denial will take place within a very few hours.

[3327] 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.

[3328] 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.

[3329] 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.

[3330] 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.

δίς. This may safely be regarded as original; see crit. note. It is confirmed by the Fayûm fragment, and the fact that Mt., Lk., and Jn mention only one cock-crowing makes omission more probable than interpolation. Travellers tell us that in the East cocks crow with extraordinary regularity at certain hours, about twelve, two, and five o’clock. Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 221. But our Lord is not predicting the hours at which the denials will take place; nor is the obvious meaning, that before the cock crows a second time there will have been three denials, the only point. Our Lord foretells that the first cock-crowing will not stop the denials; in spite of this warning, Peter will still persist that he does not know Christ. The declaration, therefore, is pregnant with meaning, “Thou, who art so confident that thou at any rate wilt never be offended, within twenty hours, nay within six, wilt not only be offended, but wilt have denied Me, not once nor twice only, and that in spite of at least one warning signal.” Cf. ὅτε τὸ δεύτερον ὡ ἁλεκτρυὼν ἐφθέγγετο (Aristoph. Eccl. 390); Quod tamen ad cantum galli facit ille secundi (Juv. ix. 106). The form ἀλέκτωρ is more common in poetry, ἀλεκτρυών in prose, and the Fayûm fragment has ἀλεκτρυών here; it has also the more usual κοκκύζω of the crowing.

τρίς. In all four Gospels; and the Synoptics all have the strong compound ἀπαρνήοῃ, which occurs only in this connexion and in that of denying oneself (Mar 8:34 = Mat 16:24); ἀρνέομαι is much more common (Mar 14:68; Mar 14:70; etc.).

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.

30.] Notice the climax: σήμερον, but not only this—ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτί, the part of it now present: nor only so, but πρὶν ἢ δὶς ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, before a cock crow twice, i.e. long before the night is over.

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

30. ὅτι σὺ σήμερον ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ, πρὶν ἢ δὶς ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, τρίς με ἀπαρνήοῃ—that you to-day, this night, before the cock crows twice, will thrice deny me. Peter in his boast emphasizes the πάντες. Jesus in his rebuke emphasizes the σύ—you who feel so confident. Peter had singled himself out as the one to be faithful in the midst of general defection. Jesus singles him out as the one out of them all to deny him. σήμερον ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ—to-day, this night, the very day in which you have shown such self-confidence. δὶς ἀλὲκτορα φωνῆσαι—This is the only gospel in which this δίς occurs, both in the prediction of Jesus, and in the account of the denials. Those two fatal cock-crowings had stuck in Peter’s memory, and so find their way into the Gospel which gets its inspiration from him. φωνῆσαι—this is a general word for sounds of all kinds. But the instances are rare in profane authors of its use for animal cries. ἀπαρνήοῃ—thou wilt deny. As applied to persons, it means denial of acquaintance or connection with them.

Insert σὺ before σήμερον, Tisch. Treg. WH. ABEFGHKLMNSUVWb X ΓΠ, two mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg. Egyptt. Syrr. ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ, instead of ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCDL, mss. Lat. Vet.

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

Cock crow. See on Mt 26:34. Mark alone adds twice. Deny [απαρνηση] . The compound verb signifies utterly deny.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.