Bible Commentaries
Mark 16

Verse 1

1 The word sabbath is singular in number and Thayer defines it, "The seventh day of each week." It corresponds with our Saturday which also is the seventh and last day of each week.

Verse 2

2 Early in the morning and rising of the sun are phrases used in the same sense. This agrees with Mat 28:1, and shows that the 24-hour period of time began and ended in the morning; not at sundown or midnight.

Verse 3

3 This verse is referred to at chapter 15:47.

Verse 4

4 Mat 28:2 says the angel rolled the stone away from the sepulchre.

Verse 5

5 Entering. It will be well again to quote the description of a sepulchre as given by Smith's Bible Dictionary. "A natural cave enlarged and adapted by excavation, or an artificial imitation of one, was the standard type of sepulchre." Hence we understand the sepulchre as a whole was a spacious cavity, in the far side of which would be a sepcific spot arranged for a body; the outside entrance would be closed with a stone. This young man is called an angel by Matthew which is not strange. Angels often appeared on earth in the form of men, and the long white garment of this person agrees with that idea.

Verse 6

6 The angel spoke encouragingly to the women, and let them know he was aware of their purpose in coming to the tomb. As an evidence for their eyes that Jesus was gone he led them to the spot where he had been laid.

Verse 7

7 Tell his disciples, and Peter. This does not mean that Peter was not a disciple; but he had denied Jesus three times, and it was fitting that his attention be especially called to the evidence that his Lord was alive again as he had predicted.

Verse 8

8 The whole scene was so unusual and solemn that the women were virtually overcome, and were speechless for the time being.

Verse 9

9 The first few verses of this chapter pertains to the scenes at the sepulchre. This verse begins to tell of things that took place elsewhere after the resurrection. The seven devils had nothing to do with the character of Mary Magdalene (it being an affliction), for she was a good woman and was interested in the work and fate of Jesus (Mat 27:61; Mat 28:1; Mar 16:1; Joh 19:25; Joh 20:14-15).

Verse 10

0 They mourned and wept fulfills chapter 2:20.

Verse 11

1 It was somewhat on the principle of a phrase "too good to be true" that the disciples believed mt. But according to Luk 24:25 Jesus rebuked the disciples for such unbelief.

Verse 12

2 Appeared in another form. Luk 24:16 explains that the disciples' eyes were holden (restrained) so that they did not know him. Doubtless the unusual character of the report so overcame them that they were confused. Under such conditions a person whom they well knew would not look natural.

Verse 13

3 These disciples reported what they had seen and heard, and the ones to whom they told the story were as doubtful as themselves.

Verse 14

4 The eleven means the apostles except Judas who had hanged himself. We should note that these apostles at this time believed not. Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief in the face of testimony of those who had seen him after his resurrection.

Verse 15

5 This and the following verse corresponds with Mat 28:19-20 It is commonly referred to as The Great Commission, although the New Testament does not so name it. World is from KOSMOS which has a wide range of meaning, but its usual sense is, "the inhabitants of the earth." Preach is from KERUSSO which Thayer defines, "to be a herald; to officiate as a herald; to proclaim after the manner of a herald." He then explains his definition, "always with a suggestion of formality, gravity, and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed." The word may be used occasionally in a general sense, but its primary meaning is to tell something that is new. That is why an apostle had to be inspired because he would be expected to publish the Gospel for the first time, and to the people of various languages. Creature is from the same original word that is used in Col 1:23 where Paul says that the Gospel had then been preached to every creature which is under heaven. Whatever Jesus meant by every creature, Paul says it had been done, and hence the "great commission" was carried out by the apostles. That means that when a preacher says he is preaching under the "great commission" he is perverting the scripture.

Verse 16

6 He that believeth necessarily means to believe what is preached which is the Gospel; the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ for the sins of mankind. The believing must be followed by being baptized. That word is from the Greek word BAPTIZO which Thayer defines, "To cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water; to overwhelm." Robinson defines it, "to dip in, to sink, to immerse." Saved is from sozo which Thayer defines, "To rescue from danger or destruction," hence it does not cover all that may follow in a person's life. A man might be rescued from drowning, and afterwards he could carelessly fall into the water again and perish. If a man does not believe the Gospel he will be condemned regardless of whether he is baptized or not, hence it was not necessary to mention baptism on the negative side.

Verse 17

8 Them that believe are the believers of the preceding verse. It cannot be restricted to the apostles on the ground that "believe" is in the present tense, for _verse 14 says that even the apostles did not believe at the time Jesus was speaking. Follow means to attend or accompany one, and refers to the spiritual gifts that were bestowed upon Christians in the first years of the Gospel age (Act 6:8; Act 19:6; 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, 14; Eph 4:8-14; Jas 5:14-15). Matthew then names some of the miracles that Christians were enabled to perform in that period.

Verse 19

9 The ascension is reported also in Luk 24:51 and Act 1:9.