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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 16:16 - 16:16
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16. ὁ πιστεύσας. It is no longer faith in the Resurrection that is specially emphasized, as in Mar 16:11; Mar 16:13-14, but faith in the Gospel message, in Christ, the Son of God, who had died and risen again, as the Saviour of the world.
βαπτισθείς. Baptism involves profession of the necessary faith; but quisquis credidit, baptismum suscepit (Beng.), just as in the Eucharist, crede et manducasti (Aug.) holds good. Baptism is required where it may be had, and it is regarded as part of the means of salvation (Tit 3:5; cf. Gal 3:27). See esp. 1Pe 3:21, ὑμᾶς σώζει βάπτισμα, διʼ ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, we are saved through baptism by virtue of the Resurrection. The disciples were already accustomed to baptize (Joh 4:2), but their main duty was to preach, as here stated, for it is by the word of God (1Pe 1:23) that men are saved.
σωθήσεται. In the spiritual sense. Just as faith is necessary for the healing of the body (Mar 2:5, Mar 5:34, Mar 9:23, Mar 10:52), so also it is necessary for the healing of the soul. This higher meaning of σῴζω is found Mar 8:35, Mar 10:26; also in Mar 13:13, which guards against the supposition that if one has but believed and been baptized one is safe; there must be “endurance to the end.” The meaning in Mar 13:20 is different.
ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται. But he that disbelieveth shall be condemned (R.V.), condemnabitur (Vulg.). The rendering “shall be damned” is seriously misleading. Whatever may be the authority of this appendix to Mk, it gives no sanction to the damnatory clauses of the Quicunque vult. The error begins with Wiclif, and although it is corrected in the Rhemish Version, it is retained in A.V. Cf. ὁ μὴ πιστεύως ἤδη κέκριται (Joh 3:18), where the ἤδη and the use of κέκριται rather than κατακέκριται (a verb found in no Johannine writing) are safeguards against misinterpretation. In the case of ὁ ἀπιστήσας there was no need to say anything about baptism; that of course was rejected.