Interpreting Mark 16:6-7 in the Context of Resurrection
Mark 16:6-7 reads, "He said to them, 'Don't be alarmed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."'" [1]. This passage is part of the narrative of Jesus' resurrection in the Gospel of Mark.
The literary context of Mark 16:6-7 is the empty tomb narrative, which is a crucial element in Mark's Gospel. The surrounding verses describe the women's visit to Jesus' tomb and their encounter with a young man dressed in white, who announces Jesus' resurrection [1]. The larger argument of Mark's Gospel is that Jesus is the Messiah who suffers, dies, and rises again.
The historical setting of Mark 16:6-7 is the early Christian community, likely in the late 1st century AD. The author of Mark's Gospel is unknown, but it is generally attributed to John Mark, a companion of Peter and Paul [5].
The key terms in Mark 16:6-7 are "risen" (ἠγέρθη, ēgerthē) and "Galilee". The verb "risen" is in the passive voice, indicating that God raised Jesus from the dead. The mention of Galilee is significant, as it is where Jesus will appear to his disciples, as promised [1].
One major exegetical decision in interpreting Mark 16:6-7 is the meaning of the angel's message to the women. According to Augustine, the angel's message is a call to faith, urging the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee [4]. Charles Hodge interprets the resurrection as a literal, bodily event, emphasizing its significance for Christian doctrine [6].
The range of interpretations for Mark 16:6-7 is diverse. According to Matthew Henry, the passage is a notification of Christ's resurrection to the women, who are then commissioned to tell the disciples [3]. Adam Clarke views the passage as a demonstration of Jesus' power and authority, as he appears to his disciples in Galilee [2]. The Reformed tradition, represented by Charles Hodge, emphasizes the literal and bodily nature of Jesus' resurrection [6].
The interpretation of Mark 16:6-7 has functioned significantly in Christian tradition. The passage has been used to support the doctrine of the resurrection, which is a central tenet of Christian theology. The resurrection of Jesus is seen as a guarantee of the future resurrection of believers, as emphasized by Charles Hodge [7]. The passage has also been used in liturgical contexts, such as Easter celebrations, to commemorate Jesus' resurrection.
The textual variant of Mark 16:9-20 is worth noting, as it is not found in the earliest manuscripts, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. Many scholars believe that Mark's Gospel originally ended at 16:8, and the additional verses were added later [8].
Sources
- Mark “He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! -- Mark 16:6”
- Mark (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Mark 16 (introduction): Early in the morning after the Sabbath, the three Marys come to the sepulcher, bringing sweet spices to embalm the body, Mar 16:1-4. They see an angel who announces the resurrection of our Lord, Mar 16:5-8. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, who goes and tells the disciples, Mar 16:9-11. He appears also to the two disciples who were going into the country, who also tell it to the rest, Mar 16:12, Mar 16:13. Afterwards he appears unto the eleven, and commissions them to preach the Gospel to all mankind, Mar 16:14-16. And promises to endue them with power to ”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 16 (introduction): In this chapter, we have a short account of the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus: and the joys and triumphs which it furnished all believers with, will be very acceptable to those who sympathised and suffered with Christ in the foregoing chapters. Here is, I. Christ's resurrection notified by an angel to the women that came to the sepulchre to anoint him (Mar 16:1-8). II. His appearance to Mary Magdalene, and the account she gave of it to the disciples (Mar 16:9-11). III. His appearance to the two disciples, going to Emmaus, and the report t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXV.--OF CHRIST'S SUBSEQUENT MANIFESTATIONS OF HIMSELF TO THE DISCIPLES, AND OF THE QUESTION WHETHER A THOROUGH HARMONY CAN BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT NARRATIVES WHEN THE NOTICES GIVEN (part 16): first manifestation to the disciples after His resurrection but Galilee? This seems to be the conclusion to which we should be led when we recollect the words of the angel who, according to Matthew's Gospel, addressed the women as they came to the sepulchre. The words were these: "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus of Nazareth,”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:1: 14:1–16:8 The final section of Mark is the narrative of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. 14:1-2 The plot by the leading priests and teachers of religious law to kill Jesus (see 3:6; 11:18; 12:12) now comes to a climax.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 81: the faith of the Church, we cannot err in following his example. The Bible is a plain book, and the whole Christian world, in all ages, has understood it to teach, not this or that, but the literal rising from the dead of the body deposited in the grave. All Christians of every denomination are taught to say, I believe in “The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting.” The Identity of the Future with our Present Body. There are two distinct questions to be here considered. First, Do the Scriptures teach ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 81: § 1. The Scriptural Doctrine. By the resurrection is not meant the continued existence of the soul after death. The fact that the Sadducees in the time of Christ, against whom most of the arguments found in the New Testament in favour of the doctrine of the resurrection were directed, denied not only that doctrine, but also that of the continued existence of the soul after death, sufficiently accounts for the sacred writings combining the two subjects. Thus our Lord, in reasoning with the Sadducees, said: “As touching the dead, that they ”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 16:9: 16:9-20 Nearly all scholars agree that Mark did not write the “shorter” and “longer” endings. There are clear differences in their style, vocabulary, and theology. Also, the best two available Greek manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) lack these endings. However, there is reason to doubt that Mark intended to end his Gospel at 16:8: (1) Mark emphasizes the fulfillment of Jesus’ predictions throughout his Gospel, and if the Gospel ended with 16:8, there would be no reference to the resurrection appearance(s) of Jesus; (2) all the other Gospels contain ”