La teoría relacional de Walsh

All copies of Mark have the 16th chapter, verses 1 though 8. The standard that we are familiar with (e.g.

KJV) also has verses 9-20. The majority of manuscripts contain the standard verses 1-20. Some earlier manuscripts will have different endings and some medieval manuscripts will have various combinations of them.

“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” Mark 16:9-14

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

Mark 16:15-20

Everything that seems supernatural in these verses has already been recorded in other places.

1. Many passages in Scripture show the disciples cast out demons and laid hands on the sick.

2. Paul was bitten by a poisonous serpent on the Isle of Malta and did not die (Acts 28).

3. The disciples spoke in foreign languages on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

Some people argue over this passage as to whether these signs still exist. In reality, all these signs did exist, and Mark does not say whether or not these were limited to a certain time period or that they were for all Christians throughout our age.

There is no reason not to accept this passage as valid Scripture; however, anyone who wishes to be contentious about it, should note that adding it or leaving it out does not change any doctrine. The earliest quote regarding this passage is from Mark 16:19. It comes from Irenaeus, Agaisnt Heresies 3.10.6, which means the standard form was in use in AD 175. This Standard is used in over 16,000 Greek Manuscripts (about ninety-five percent) including Codex Bezae, Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Ephraemi Syri, the Peshitta, the Diatessaron, and church fathers Justin Martyr in Apology 1.45, Irenaeus in Against Heresies 3.10.6, and Hippolytus).

The Cut off:

Some manuscripts simply end after verse 8. The Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, and church fathers, Jerome, in Letter 120.3, and Eusebius stop at verse 8.

Eusebius Comment:

The accurate copies conclude the story according to Mark with the words of the young man seen by the women, and he said to them, “Do not be afraid. You seek Jesus ... for they were very afraid.” For nearly all copies of the Gospel of Mark end here.

Short Ending

The short ending is only found in Codex Babbiensis, a fourth Century Latin manuscript. It has been added after verse eight. Several medieval manuscripts comment that this may have been included in the original Gospel of Mark.

“And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterward Jesus himself sent out through them, from the east to the west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.”

Additional Paragraph

This is the standard paragraph with the additional paragraph tacked on to verse 14. It is only found in Codex Washingtonianus, a late fourth century Greek manuscript, now housed in the Smithsonian.

Although church father Jerome stated most copies end with verse eight, he commented on this addition,

“And they excused themselves, saying, ‘This age of lawlessness and unbelief is under Satan, who does not allow the truth and the power of God to prevail over the unclean things of the spirits.

Therefore reveal your righteousness now.’ – thus they spoke to Christ. And Christ replied to them,

‘The term of years of Satan's power has been fulfilled, but other terrible things draw near. And for those who have sinned I was handed over to death, that they may return to the truth and sin no more, that they may inherit the spiritual and imperishable glory of righteousness that is in heaven.’”

Jerome's Comment:

In some Greek manuscripts of Mark, at the end of the Gospel there is written “Afterwards when the eleven had sat down to a meal, Jesus appeared to them and rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who had seen him after his resurrection. And they made excuses saying ‘This is the age of lawlessness and unbelief under Satan, who does not allow the truth and the power of God to be grasped by unclean spirits. Therefore reveal your righteousness now.’”

Conclusion

Again, it seems clear that the addition to the Gospel of Mark has a definite Gnostic flavor to it. The verses cut out from Mark’s ending actually did happen as recorded in the book of Acts. There is no reason to think the Textus Receptus does not represent the original Gospel of Mark.

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Other Teachings

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