Mark 6:25

Mar 6:25. Μετὰ σπουδῆς) promptly.—θέλω [I will] I wish) Boldness of speech.

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

Mar 6:25 . εὐθὺς μετὰ σπουδῆς , without delay and with quick step, as of one whose heart was in the business. There had been no reluctance then on the girl’s part, no need for much educating to bring her to the point; vide remarks on προβιβασθεῖσα in Mat 14:8 . Her mother’s child. ἐξαυτῆς (supply ὥρας ), on the spot, at once; request proffered with a cool pert impudence almost outdoing the mother.

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

(25) By and by.—We hardly recognise in this word, so much has its meaning altered, St. Mark’s familiar “forthwith” or “immediately.” At the period when our version was made it was, however (as we find in Shakespeare), in common use as an equivalent. (Comp. Mat_13:21.)

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

25. straightway with haste] Observe the ready alacrity, with which she proved herself a true daughter of her mother.

by and by] i. e. “immediately.” Comp. Mat_13:21, “when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended;” Luk_17:7, “which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by?” Luk_21:9, “but the end is not by and by,” In all these instances the expression has its old meaning of “at once,” “immediately.” Thus Edward IV. is reported to have said on his death-bed, “I wote not whether any prechers’ woordes ought more to moue you than I that is goyng by and by to the place that they all preche of,” Hall, Ed. v. fol. 116; “Men dare not give the name of emperor to any other, for he punisheth his offender and traitor by and by; but they dare give the name of God to others, because He for repentance suffereth the offenders;” Homily Against Idolatry, pt. iii.

a charger] = “a large dish,” or “platter.” This word only occurs here and in the parallel, Mat_14:8. It comes from the Fr. charger and O. E. charge = “to load;” hence it means “that on which anything is laid, a dish,” as the Hebrew word thus rendered (Num_7:13, &c.) is elsewhere given (Exo_25:29). Thus Fuller says of Oswald, king of Northumberland, when he was told that a number of poor people were at his gate, that he commanded “not onely that the meat set before him should be given them, but also that the large Silver-Charger holding the same should be broken in pieces and (in want, perchance, of present coin) parted betwixt them:” Ch. Hist. ii. 76.

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 she came in straightway with haste unto the, king,.... Having had her mother's advice, and being hastened by her, she immediately returned to the hall, where the king and his guests were, with much Concern, eagerness, and diligence:

and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger, the head of John the Baptist: her petition proceeding upon a promise with an oath, is presented by way of demand; insisting upon it, that in a very little time, "this hour", as the Syriac version renders it, within an hour's time, or less; and "here", as Matthew has it, Mat 14:8, in that very place, and whilst the company was there; that orders should be given to cut off the head of John the Baptist, and that that should be brought, in a large dish, unto her; and this was what she had to ask, and insisted upon the immediate and punctual performance of it; See Gill on Mat 14:8.

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

25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

Ver. 25. {See Trapp on "Mat 14:8"}

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.

I will that thou forthwith give me in a charger (epi pinaki) the head of John the Baptist. John the Baptist seems to have had a presentiment of his speedy end when he said, "He must increase, but must decrease."

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

25. μετὰ σπουδῆς. Almost superfluous after εὐθύς, but it emphasizes her intense eagerness. She is as keen as her mother for vengeance, and Antipas might change his mind. Superfluous additions are frequent in Mk. See on Mar 1:32. We have μετὰ σπουδῆς Luk 1:39; but neither ἐν σπουδῇ (in this sense), nor ἐπὶ σπουδῆς, nor κατὰ σπουδήν is found in N.T. Syr-Sin. omits μετὰ σπουδῆς here.

Θέλω ἵνα. Cf. Mar 10:35, and (without ἵνα) Mar 10:36; Mar 10:51, etc.

ἐξαυτῆς. Sc. τῆς ὥρας. This again emphasizes the passion with which she presses home her ghastly request,—matre vili filia vilior. A.V. has “by and by,” which is now misleading. Formerly, it meant “instantly.” and that is what Salome demands; now it means “not instantly.” Except in Acts, ἐξαυτῆς is rare in N.T., and it does not occur in LXX.

ἐπὶ πίνακι. She makes clear that the head is to be off. Vulg. here has discus, a rare word in the sense of “dish,” but in Luk 11:39 it has catinus. Other words for dish are παροψίς (Mat 23:25-26) and τρύβλιον (Mat 26:23), where Vulg. has parapsis for both, but catinus for τρύβλιον (Mar 14:20). The distinction between dishes and plates was probably not yet made. Hom. Od. i. 141.

τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ. Only here and Mar 8:28 does Mk use this term; elsewhere ὁ βαπτίζων. See on Mar 1:4.

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.

25. εὐθὺς μετὰ σπουδῆς—immediately with haste. Evidently, this haste was lest the king’s ardor should cool. She and her mother both knew that nothing but the king’s oath would make him do a thing so contrary to his own desires. This urgency is shown also in her request that it be done ἐξαυτῆς, forthwith. πίνακι—a platter. The word charger used to translate it in the EV. is practically obsolete in this sense.

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

Mark's narrative emphasizes the eager haste with which the murder was pushed. She came in straightway and demanded the boon forthwith.

By and by [εξαυτης] . Obsolete in the old sense of immediately. The A. V. translates eujquv, straightway, in Mt 13:21, by and by : eujqewv, Mr 4:17, immediately : and the same word in Luk 21:9, by and by. Exauthv is rendered immediately, Act 10:33; Act 11:11 : straightway, Act 23:30 : presently, Phi 2:23. Rev., forthwith. The expression by and by in older English was sometimes used of place. Thus Chaucer.

"Right in the same chamber by and by" (close by).

and

"Two young knights lying by and by" [νεαρ τογετηερ] .

Edward IV is reported to have said on his death - bed : "I wote (know) not whether any preachers words ought more to move you than I that is going by and by to the place that they all preach of."

Charger. See on Mt 14:8.

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