Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 10:18 - 10:18

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 10:18 - 10:18


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18. Τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; There can be no emphasis on the enclitic με, which is in all three, but Mt. has τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; This does not fit the original question, for the rich man had not asked about “the good.” Nor does it fit what follows, for εἷς ἐστὶν ὁ ἀγαθός ought logically to be ἓν ἐστὶν τὸ ἀγαθόν. Mt. has evidently changed language which he thought would mislead into what seemed to him more likely to have been said. His unwillingness to record what might give a low view of the Messiah is apparent all through his Gospel, and he shrank from saying that Christ objected to being called good. “Good Master” was a very unusual form of address; no example has been found in the Talmud, and the rich man seems to have used it glibly. If it was not a mere compliment to win favour, it was said without consideration. There was some defect in his use of the epithet. The defect was not that he failed to see that Jesus was God, as if Christ’s reply meant, “God alone is really good, and you do not believe that I am God. Unless you do that, I cannot accept the title ‘good’ from you.” This is the explanation of Cyril, Basil, Epiphanius, Ambrose, Jerome, Bede, Maldonatus, and Wordsworth. It cannot be right, for the man could not have understood it, and Christ’s words must have had a meaning for him. What he might have seen and failed to see was that the good desires of which he was conscious in himself, and the good words and works which he recognized in Christ, all came from God. The man was too self-confident, too certain that of his own will and power he could do what would win eternal life. Christ, by attributing His own goodness entirely to God (Joh 5:9-30) cheeks this self-confidence. Magistrum absque Deo nullum bonum esse testatur.

οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός. So also in Lk., but there [2430][2431] omit ὁ. The saying is quoted in a variety of forms some closer to Mk and Lk., some closer to Mt.; e.g. Justin Apol. i. 16, Try. 101; Hippol. Philosoph. Mar 10:1; and four times in Clem. Hom. See W.H. App. pp. 14, 15.

[2430] 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.

[2431] 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.