Mark 15:44

Mar 15:44. Ἐθαύμασεν, marvelled) In fact, it was not the mere cross that deprived Jesus of life. [Those crucified sometimes used to protract life for a considerably longer time. Pilate had permitted the breaking of the legs; but the fact, that Jesus had died before the breaking of the legs (of the other two), came to Pilate’s knowledge through Joseph, and not until then.—V. g.]—πάλαι) Eustathius has showed that this word is used of even a rather short interval of time.

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

Mar 15:44 . Omitted by Mt., whose narrative throughout is colourless compared with Mk.’s. εἰ τέθνηκε : εἰ = ὅτι , after a verb of wonder ( vide Burton, M. and T., § 277, and Winer, § lx., 6). εἰ ἀπέθανε : τέθνηκε has reference to the present of the speaker, ἀπέθανε to the moment of death. πάλαι : opposed to ἄρτι , and not implying a considerable time before, but only bare priority to the present. Pilate’s question to the centurion was, did He die before now? = is He actually dead?

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

(44) And Pilate marvelled.—The wonder of Pilate, and his calling the centurion (the article points to his being the same that had been mentioned in Mar_15:39), are peculiar to St. Mark.

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

44. And Pilate marvelled] Death by crucifixion did not generally supervene even for three days, and thirty-six hours is said to be the earliest period when it would be thus brought about. Pilate, therefore, marveled at the request of Joseph, and required the evidence of the centurion to assure himself of the fact.

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.

44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

Ver. 44. {See Trapp on "Mat 27:58"}

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.

And Pilate marveled if - Wondered if he was dead, or wondered that he was so soon dead. It was not common for persons crucified to expire under two or three days, sometimes not until the sixth or seventh. Joseph had asked for the “body,” implying that he was dead. That he was, had been ascertained by the soldiers. See Joh 19:33.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. It must have Been somewhat early in the afternoon, probably not long after three o"clock, when Joseph went. The day being the Preparation, the Jews were anxious to satisfy the letter of the Law, (Deu_21:13) and that, more especially, because the coming sabbath was a "high day." So they had gone early to Pilate to obtain permission to accelerate the deaths of the sufferers by the terrible additional punishment called skelokopia . This violence was not inflicted upon our Lord, because he was already dead; and so another Scripture was fulfilled, "A bone of him shall not be broken." But it was necessary that Pilate should be assured of the fact that death had taken place before he gave up the body; and thus, in the providence of God, another evidence was given of the reality of Christ"s death. Joseph asked for the body (swma). Then Pilate asked the centurion "whether he had been any while dead." The verb here is in the aorist, and the adverb means "formerly" (ei palai apeyane); literally, if he died some time ago.

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

44. ἤδη ἀπέθανεν ([3477][3478] rather than πάλαι ἀπέθ. ([3479][3480][3481][3482] etc.). Change to avoid repetition.

[3477] 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.

[3478] 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.

[3479] 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.

[3480] 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.

[3481] 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.

[3482] 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.

44. ἐθαύμασεν. Pilate’s astonishment and questioning of the centurion are in Mk alone. Pilate would suspect an attempt to get possession of the Body before death had occurred. Death in a few hours was rare, and Eusebius (H. E. viii. 8) says that martyrs, even when nailed to the cross, sometimes were guarded till they died of hunger (see Heinichen’s notes). Josephus (Vita 75) tells us that among a number of crucified captives he found three of his acquaintances still alive, and got Titus to have them taken down. Two died under medical treatment, but one recovered. In the Digests (xlviii. 24, Ulpian) it is ordered that the bodies of the executed are not to be buried without permission, that permission may be refused, and should be refused in cases of high treason (majestatis). See Lagrange.

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.

44.] There is no inconsistency, or but a very trifling one, with the order in John, ver. 31, to break their legs and take them down. The circumstances related there had taken place, but no report of them had been made to Pilate. And the Body of the Lord had not been taken down, for some reason which does not appear, but which we can easily guess;—if Joseph had declared to the soldiers his intention of begging the Body, nay, had immediately gone (perhaps with them) to Pilate for that purpose,—and τολμήσας εἰσῆλθ. looks like a sudden and unannounced application,—they would have left the Body for him to take down.

ἐθαύμασεν εἰ ἤδη τέθνηκεν—he wondered at the fact thus announced to him of His death having already taken place. See Kühner, Gram. ii. p. 481, and the examples there adduced, which make this clear, e.g. Demosth. p. 24. 23,—θαυμάζω, εἰ Λακεδαιμονίοις μὲν πότε … ἀντήρατε, νυνὶ δʼ ὀκνεῖτε.…

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

44. ὁ δὲ Πειλᾶτος ἐθαύμαζεν (-σεν) εἰ ἤδη τέθνηκε· καὶ … ἐπηρώτησεν εἰ πάλαι (ἤδη) ἀπέθανε—And Pilate was wondering (wondered) if he is already dead, and … asked him if it is any while since he died. Generally, death was more lingering, the great cruelty of crucifixion being in its slow torture. The question which Pilate asked of the centurion who had charge of the execution was intended to remove the doubt by showing that sufficient time had elapsed to establish the fact of Jesus’ death.

Πειλᾶτος, instead of Πιλᾶτος, same authorities as in v. 43. ἐθαύμαζεν, instead of -σεν, Tisch. א D mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg. The impf. is more in Mk.’s manner, the aor. more common. ἤδη, instead of πάλαι, Treg. WH. RV.marg. BD Memph. Hier. πάλαι is the more difficult reading to account for, if not in the original.

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

Wondered. This query and the asking the centurion are peculiar to Mark.

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