Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 1:15 - 1:15

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 1:15 - 1:15


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15. καὶ λέγων. Mk often accumulates participles; Mar 1:31; Mar 1:41, Mar 2:6, Mar 3:5; Mar 3:31, Mar 4:8, Mar 5:25-27; Mar 5:30; Mar 5:33, Mar 6:2, Mar 8:11, Mar 10:17, Mar 12:28, Mar 13:34, Mar 14:23; Mar 14:67, Mar 15:21; Mar 15:36; Mar 15:43.

ὅτι. When ὅτι introduces, in the oratio recta, the words spoken, it is omitted in translation, being equivalent to inverted commas; Mar 1:37; Mar 1:40, Mar 2:12, Mar 3:11; Mar 3:21-22, etc. But we need not suppose that Christ used these very words. He was not constructing set phrases to be impressed on the memory by repetition; but in these sentences the Evangelist sums up the substance of the Messiah’s preaching.

Πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρός. “The time has been completed and is complete”; a Jewish idea, freq. in O.T. As usual ὁ καιρός means “the appointed time, right season, opportune moment,” not necessarily a short time; ὁ καιρὸς ὁ ἀφορισθεὶς παρὰ θεοῦ τῇ πολιτείᾳ τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης (Euthym.).

ἤγγικεν. “Has come near” and therefore is at hand (A.V., R.V.). Cf. Mar 14:42. Christ appears as a Revivalist of religion.

ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ. Mk has this expression 14 times, Lk. 32 times. Mt. nearly always omits or paraphrases Mk’s expression, or substitutes ἡ βασ. τῶν οὐρανῶν, which he has 32 times. This Kingdom or Reign is the rule of God in men’s hearts and in society. It exists already, but many have not even begun to try to attain to it, and no one gains it in its fulness. God’s rule will be complete in eternity (1Co 15:24-28). See the full discussion of the phrase, esp. in its eschatological sense, in Dalman, The Words of Jesus, pp. 91–143; D.C.G. art. “Kingdom of God.”

πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. Πιστ. εἰς is freq. in N.T., and πιστ. ἐπί occurs several times in Acts and Romans and elsewhere; but neither is found in LXX. Πιστ. ἐν occurs Eph 1:13, and perhaps nowhere else in N.T., for Joh 3:15 is doubtful, and it is rare in LXX. All three expressions are stronger than πιστ. with the simple dat. (Mar 11:31)—the difference between reposing trust in and merely believing what is stated. J. H. Moulton, Gr. p. 67. Mk elsewhere attributes the use of the word εὐαγγέλιον to Christ (Mar 8:35, Mar 10:29, Mar 13:10, Mar 14:9); but he nowhere represents Him as speaking of “My Gospel.” It would be natural to give Christ’s meaning in the language which was current when Mk wrote. Dalman, Words of Jesus, pp. 102, 106. Syr-Sin. has “believe His Gospel.”