Mark 9:15

9:15 Some have suggested that just as Moses reflected God’s glory when he descended from the mountain, Jesus’ glorious transfiguration was still evident, so the crowds responded with awe. It is equally possible that Jesus’ arrival after being absent was enough to elicit the awe of the crowd.

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

Mar 9:15. Ἐξεθαμβήθη, were greatly amazed) They were affected by the glory, even though they knew not what had taken place on the mountain; comp. ch. Mar 10:32; Luk 19:11; also Exo 4:14; Exo 34:29-30. [you may readily perceive that there follows upon secret communion with God a greater leaning on the part of men towards you.—V. g.]—προστρέχοντες, running up to) eagerly.—ἠσπάζοντο, began saluting) with joy.

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

Mar 9:15 . ἐξεθαμβήθησαν , were utterly amazed, used by Mark only in N. T., here, and in Mar 14:33 and Mar 16:5 in connections which demand a very strong sense. What was there in common in the three situations: the returned Master, the agony in the garden, and the appearance of the angel at the resurrection? A surprise; which, whether sorrowful or joyful, always gives a certain emotional shock. The Master reappears, when He is not looked for, when He is needed, and when His name is being taken in vain, perhaps not without a certain sympathy on the part of the volatile crowd not accustomed hitherto to miscarriage of attempts at healing when the name of Jesus was invoked. In that case their feeling would be a compound of confusion and gladness ashamed and yet delighted to see Him, both betrayed in their manner.

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

Verse 15. Were greatly amazed] Probably, because he came so unexpectedly; but the cause of this amazement is not self-evident.

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

(15) Were greatly amazed.—This fact is noted by St. Mark only. We are not told what caused it. Was there some lingering radiance, or some expression of divine joy hardly less radiant, that struck the disciples and the people as strangely unlike the sadness that had been shown in recent words and looks? (Mar_8:30-33).

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

15. were greatly amazed] “was astonied and much afraid,” Rhemish Version. His face would seem, like that of Moses (Exo_34:30), to have retained traces of the celestial glory of the Holy Mount, which had not faded into the light of common day, and filled the beholders with awe and wonder. The word points to an extremity of terror. It is used four times in the New Testament, and only by St Mark. What is here said of the multitudes is said (Mar_14:34) of our Lord in Gethsemane, and (Mar_16:5) of the holy women at the Sepulchre on the first Easter-day at the sight of the Angel seated, “they were affrighted.”

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 straightway all the people, when they beheld him,.... As soon as ever they saw him, to many of whom, especially those that followed him out of Galilee, he was personally known.

Were greatly amazed; either that he should come at that juncture, to assist and relieve his disciples, when the Scribes were triumphing over them, as some think; or rather, as others, on account of that remaining lustre and glory which was on his countenance, through his transfiguration, and not yet wholly gone off; like that which was on the face of Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai:

and running to him, saluted him; wishing him all peace and prosperity, expressing their great joy at his coming to them; which was very desirable by them, and exceedingly pleasing to them, and especially at this time, as both their words and gesture showed.

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

15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

Ver. 15. Were greatly amazed] To see him come in so opportunely, in the very nick, which is his usual time. {See Trapp on "Mat 17:14"}

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.

The multitude were favourably towards Jesus, and were glad that returned at an opportune moment to defend his disciples against the scribes. But why were they greatly amazed? The word in the Greek is exeyambhyh . It seems most probable that they saw in his countenance, always heavenly and majestic, something even yet more Divine, retaining some traces of the glory of his transfiguration, even as the face of Moses shone when he came down from the mount. (Exo_34:29) It hardly seems likely that the amazement of the people was simply caused by our Lord having arrived at an opportune time to relieve his disciples of their difficulty. The Greek word expresses something more than would be satisfied by the fact of our Lord having come upon the scene just when he was wanted. Even if there were no remains of the transfiguration glory upon his countenance, the vivid recollection of the scene, of the conversation with Moses and Elijah, and the subject of it, and the voice of the Father, must have invested his countenance with a peculiar majesty and dignity. The same word, though without its compound (eyambounto), is used further on in Mar_10:32 to express the amazement of the disciples, as he pressed eagerly onwards before them on his way to Jerusalem and to his cross. There was no doubt something then in his countenance which astonished them. The multitude running to him, saluted him. The scribes had not been able to shake their faith. In their view he was still "that Prophet that should come into the world."

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

All the multitude seeing him were greatly amazed - At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps also at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance.

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

15. ἐξεθαμβήθησαν ([1901][1902][1903][1904][1905][1906]) rather than ἐξεθαμβήθη ([1907][1908][1909]).

[1901] 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.

[1902] 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.

[1903] 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.

[1904] 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.

[1905] 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.

[1906] 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.

[1907] 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.

[1908] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[1909] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

15. ἐξεθάμβησαν. The strong compound is peculiar to Mk in N.T. (Mar 14:33, Mar 16:5-6). The crowd were awe-struck at the opportuneness of His unexpected arrival. They leave the disputants and run to welcome the great Healer and Teacher. It is improbable that “traces of the celestial glory” of the Transfiguration struck them with awe. Christ had enjoined silence about that, and such traces would have made silence almost impossible. Vulg. translates both readings, ἐξεθαμβήθη and ἐξεθάμβησαν, omnis populus videns eum stupefactus est et expaverunt et accurrentes salutabant eum. Jerome cannot have meant both to stand. Syr-Sin. omits πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος.

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.

15.] The Lord’s countenance probably retained traces of the glory on the mount; so strong a word as ἐξεθαμβήθησαν would hardly have been used merely of their surprise at His sudden approach: see Exo 34:29, Exo 34:30. That brightness, however, terrified the people: this attracts them: see 2Co 3:7-18.

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

15. πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἰδόντες αὐτόν, ἐξεθαμβήθησαν—all the crowd, having seen them, were utterly astonished.1

ἰδόντες ἐξεθαμβήθησαν, instead of ἰδὼν, ἐξεθαμβήθη Tisch. Treg. WH. א BCDIL Δ 1, 13, 27, 28, 33, 69, 124, 209, 346, mss. Lat. Vet. Memph. Pesh. Harcl. marg.

Different reasons are given for this astonishment. Either Jesus’ person still retained some of the glory of the transfiguration, or the people were astonished at his sudden and opportune appearance. Against the former it seems conclusive that he treats the transfiguration as an esoteric event, which would not have permitted him to make his appearance among the people until the effect had entirely passed away. Their surprise was a joyous surprise at this unexpected coming, so that they ran and greeted him.

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

Were greatly amazed [εξεθαμβηθησαν] . A word peculiar to Mark. See Introduction.

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