This post is here for you to comment on Mark, chapter 16. Or perhaps you want to make a comment about the entire gospel of Mark. Or both.
What I’m curious about is your reaction to the “short” ending of Mark. Most of your translations will likely show Mark as ending at verse eight, with the verses from 9 to 20 marked in some special way, and usually with footnotes that discuss the various endings. Regardless of your own view about where Mark exactly ends, what do you think the impact is of Mark ending somewhat abruptly at verse eight? I’ll leave a comment later today about what I think.
Thanks Jim. I always wonder about these sections!
The short answer is that the short ending is probably the correct one. The later verses were likely add-ons to make Mark more similar to the other gospels.
In the manuscripts that we have available for Mark, there are three endings depending on the manuscript. The first choice is that Mark ends in verse 8, the second is that there about three verses more, and the third is to include verses 9-20. The most compelling evidence for the short ending is that the language that follows in the longer versions is much less like the rest of Mark’s writing. You are free to make your choice among the endings. The longer versions match very closely to information in the other gospels.
I had asked you to consider the impact of the short ending. My thinking about this is that the abrupt ending leaves us with both the mystery and awe of resurrection. The mystery is a continuation of Jesus’ mission all through Mark … “you have been healed, but don’t tell anyone.” The women are trembling in fear/awe and intensely amazed or astonished by what they have seen. They rush off, not talking to anyone, most likely until they are with the disciples.
We too as listeners are left in this moment of, without any further witness, and face how we will declare where we stand. Did it happen? What will we do as a consequence? In some sense, it’s up to us, just as it was to the disciples to make our declaration and declare our faith, and then as the man in white has said, go and tell.
Honestly, it sounds like the rest of the gospel got lost somehow. It doesn’t really bother me. God will take care of preserving his Word.