Mark 10

Translator Notes

1. The geographical notice marks the shift from Galilee to Judea — Jesus is now on the road to Jerusalem. The route 'beyond the Jordan' (peran tou Iordanou) describes the Transjordan route through Perea, avoiding Samaria. The phrase 'as was his custom' (hōs eiōthei) reminds the reader that teaching was Jesus's primary activity.

Translator Notes

1. The participle peirazontes ('testing') signals hostile intent, not genuine inquiry. The question about the legality (exestin, 'is it permitted') of divorce was debated among the rabbis — the school of Shammai allowed it only for sexual immorality, the school of Hillel for almost any cause. The question was designed to trap Jesus in a controversial position.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus redirects the question to Scripture itself. His use of 'command' (eneteilato) rather than 'permit' is significant — he will soon distinguish between what Moses commanded and what Moses merely permitted.

Translator Notes

1. The Pharisees answer with Deuteronomy 24:1-4, which assumes the practice of divorce and regulates it. They use the word epetrepsen ('permitted, allowed'), acknowledging this was a concession rather than a positive command. The 'certificate of divorce' (biblion apostasiou) was a legal document protecting the woman's right to remarry.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Deuteronomy 24:1-4. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The compound noun sklērokardian ('hardness of heart') combines sklēros ('hard, stiff') and kardia ('heart'). The Mosaic divorce provision is characterized as an accommodation to human fallenness, not an expression of God's ideal. Jesus frames the Deuteronomy passage as a concession, not a norm.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus goes behind Moses to Genesis 1:27, treating the creation narrative as the foundational expression of God's will for humanity. The appeal to 'the beginning of creation' (archēs ktiseōs) establishes creation order as the standard against which the Mosaic concession is measured.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 1:27. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus continues quoting, now from Genesis 2:24. The verb kataleipsei ('will leave, will forsake') indicates a fundamental reorientation of primary loyalty — from birth family to marriage covenant. Some SBLGNT manuscripts include 'and be joined to his wife' (kai proskollēthēsetai pros tēn gynaika autou) while others do not.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 2:24. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The quotation from Genesis 2:24 concludes, and Jesus draws the inference: if marriage creates a unity ('one flesh,' mia sarx), then divorce is not merely a legal action but a tearing apart of what has been joined. The phrase 'one flesh' encompasses the totality of the shared life — physical, emotional, economic, and spiritual.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 2:24 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The verb synezeyxen ('joined together, yoked together') comes from the world of harnessing animals — two made into a working pair. The prohibition 'let no one separate' (anthrōpos mē chōrizetō) uses the present imperative, forbidding an ongoing practice. The shift from 'Moses permitted' to 'God joined' reframes the entire discussion from legal permission to divine intention.

Translator Notes

1. Mark's pattern of public teaching followed by private explanation continues (cf. 4:10, 7:17). The disciples need further clarification about the divorce teaching.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase 'against her' (ep' autēn) is significant — in Jewish law, a man could commit adultery against another man (by violating his marriage) but not against his own wife. Jesus's statement grants the wife equal standing as the wronged party, a radical elevation of women's status in marriage.

Translator Notes

1. This verse addresses a woman initiating divorce — possible under Roman and some Hellenistic Jewish law but not standard in Palestinian Judaism. Mark's inclusion reflects his Roman audience. The symmetry of the teaching (both husband and wife are held to the same standard) is remarkable for the ancient world.

Translator Notes

1. The verb epetimēsan ('rebuked') is the strong word used for commanding demons — the disciples treat the children's approach as an intrusion. In a society where children had no social standing, the disciples' action reflects conventional values. Jesus will overturn those values.

Translator Notes

1. The verb ēganaktēsen ('was indignant, was angry') is one of the few places Mark records Jesus's anger directed at his own disciples. The statement that the kingdom 'belongs to such as these' (tōn toioutōn estin hē basileia tou theou) does not idealize childhood innocence but identifies the child's position — dependent, without status, unable to earn — as the posture required for receiving the kingdom.

Translator Notes

1. The double negative ou mē ('by no means, never') is the strongest negation in Greek. Receiving the kingdom 'like a child' (hōs paidion) means receiving it as a gift, without pretension, without credentials, in total dependence — the opposite of earning or deserving it.

Translator Notes

1. The verb kateulogei ('blessed fervently, blessed abundantly') is an intensified form — Mark emphasizes the warmth of Jesus's response. The physical gesture of taking children in his arms (enagkalisamenos) repeats the action of 9:36. Jesus does not merely permit the children's approach; he embraces and blesses them.

Translator Notes

1. The man's urgency (running, kneeling) and respectful address ('Good Teacher') suggest genuine sincerity. The question frames eternal life as something to be 'inherited' (klēronomēsō) — received as a family right — yet also asks 'what must I do,' revealing a works-based framework. Mark does not call him 'young' (that is Matthew's addition) or 'ruler' (that is Luke's).

Translator Notes

1. Jesus's response is not a denial of his own goodness but a challenge to the man's casual use of the word. If 'good' belongs properly to God alone, then calling Jesus 'good' either means nothing or means everything. The statement forces the man to reckon with who Jesus is.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus cites the second table of the Decalogue (commandments governing human relationships). Notably absent is 'You shall not covet' — replaced by 'Do not defraud' (mē aposterēsēs), which may be a practical application of the covetousness prohibition, particularly relevant to a wealthy person. The first table (love of God) is not mentioned but will be implied by the demand in verse 21.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Exodus 20:12-16. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The verb ephylaxamēn ('I have guarded, kept, observed') indicates careful compliance. The claim is not dismissed by Jesus — he takes it at face value. 'From my youth' (ek neotētos mou) means from the age of accountability (approximately twelve or thirteen in Jewish practice).

Translator Notes

1. The detail 'loved him' (ēgapēsen auton) is unique to Mark and is striking — Jesus's demand is motivated by love, not hostility. The verb emblepsas ('looking intently at') suggests a penetrating gaze. The 'one thing' (hen) is not merely divestiture but the total reorientation it represents: allegiance to Jesus over wealth. The SBLGNT does not include 'take up the cross' (aras ton stauron), found in some manuscripts.

Translator Notes

1. The verb stygnasas ('became gloomy, was shocked, was appalled') describes a visible darkening of the face — the opposite of the eager approach in verse 17. The man's grief (lypoumenos) is genuine; he is not indifferent but cannot bring himself to act. He is the only person in the Gospels who comes to Jesus with a sincere question and leaves without following.

Translator Notes

1. The adverb dyskolōs ('with difficulty, hardly') sets up the astonishment that follows. Jesus does not say it is impossible, but 'how difficult' (pōs dyskolōs) — the difficulty is stressed, not absolute impossibility.

Translator Notes

1. The disciples' amazement (ethambounto) reveals their assumption that wealth was a sign of divine blessing. The address 'Children' (Tekna) is tender — Jesus softens his teaching with familial affection. The SBLGNT reads simply 'how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God' without the qualification 'for those who trust in riches' found in some manuscripts.

Translator Notes

1. The image is deliberately impossible — a camel (kamēlon) through the eye of a sewing needle (trymalia rhaphidos). Attempts to soften this (a 'rope' instead of a camel, or a small gate called 'the Needle's Eye') have no textual or archaeological support. Jesus uses comic hyperbole to make a serious point: wealth creates an attachment that is humanly impossible to overcome.

Translator Notes

1. The disciples' question reveals their logic: if even the wealthy (assumed to be divinely blessed) cannot enter the kingdom, then salvation is impossible for anyone. This is exactly the conclusion Jesus wants them to reach — so that verse 27 can redirect them to God's power.

Translator Notes

1. The statement echoes Genesis 18:14 ('Is anything too hard for the LORD?') and Job 42:2 ('I know that you can do all things'). Salvation is not a human achievement but a divine gift. The word adynaton ('impossible') is unqualified — Jesus does not say 'difficult' but 'impossible' for humans, possible only for God.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 18:14. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Job 42:2. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. Peter's statement is both a contrast to the rich man (who would not leave his possessions) and an implicit question: 'What will we get?' The verb aphēkamen ('we have left, abandoned') is the same word used for the rich man's failure — the disciples did what he could not.

Translator Notes

1. The list of what may be left covers the entire social world: home, family, and livelihood. The phrase 'for my sake and for the gospel's' (heneken emou kai heneken tou euangeliou) links personal loyalty to Jesus with commitment to the mission of proclamation.

Translator Notes

1. The promise of a hundredfold return is remarkable, but the parenthetical 'with persecutions' (meta diōgmōn) prevents any prosperity-gospel reading. The new community of faith provides the extended family, but that community exists under the cross. Note that 'fathers' are absent from the return list — there is only one Father in the new community. The two-age framework ('this present age' and 'the age to come') reflects Jewish eschatology.

Translator Notes

1. This reversal saying (cf. 9:35) provides the hermeneutical key: the kingdom of God inverts every human hierarchy. The rich man who seemed 'first' ends up unable to enter; the disciples who left everything are promised abundance.

Translator Notes

1. The scene is vivid: Jesus strides ahead toward Jerusalem with grim determination while the disciples follow in a mixture of amazement and fear. The verb proagōn ('going before, leading the way') shows Jesus actively leading toward his death, not being swept along by events. 'Going up' (anabainontes) is both geographical (Jerusalem sits at elevation) and theological (ascending to the place of sacrifice).

Translator Notes

1. The third passion prediction (cf. 8:31, 9:31) is the most detailed, adding the condemnation by the Sanhedrin and the delivery to the Gentiles (the Romans). The verb paradothēsetai ('will be delivered over, betrayed') is used twice — first of the Jewish leaders handing Jesus to the Romans, then of the betrayal itself. The passive may imply divine agency: God is delivering the Son of Man into human hands.

Translator Notes

1. The specificity is remarkable: mocking, spitting, flogging — each fulfilled in the passion narrative (14:65, 15:15-20). The verb mastigōsousin ('they will flog') refers to the Roman flagellum, a whip with embedded bone or metal. The prediction ends, as always, with resurrection — the suffering is not the last word.

Translator Notes

1. The brazenness of the request — a blank check ('whatever we ask') — is remarkable coming immediately after the most detailed passion prediction. In Matthew's account (20:20), their mother makes the request; Mark attributes it directly to James and John.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus asks the same question he will ask blind Bartimaeus in verse 51. The contrast is telling: James and John ask for thrones; Bartimaeus asks for sight.

Translator Notes

1. The right and left positions are seats of highest honor, sharing the ruler's authority. The phrase 'in your glory' (en tē doxē sou) shows they believe in Jesus's coming triumph — they simply want the best seats. The irony is that the positions at Jesus's right and left in his 'glory' will be occupied by two crucified criminals (15:27).

Translator Notes

1. The 'cup' (potērion) is a biblical metaphor for one's allotted portion, often God's wrath (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15). The 'baptism' (baptisma) metaphor extends the image — being submerged in suffering. Jesus uses the present tense ('I drink,' 'I am baptized'), indicating that his suffering is already underway.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Psalm 75:8 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 51:17 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
4. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Jeremiah 25:15 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. Their confident 'We are able' (Dynametha) is brave but uninformed. Jesus affirms they will indeed share his suffering — James was the first apostle martyred (Acts 12:2), and John, according to tradition, endured exile. Sharing Jesus's suffering, however, does not guarantee sharing his throne.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus distinguishes between what he can promise (shared suffering) and what belongs to the Father's sovereignty (positions of honor). The passive hētoimastai ('it has been prepared') is a divine passive — God is the unnamed agent who determines positions in the kingdom.

Translator Notes

1. The indignation (aganaktein) of the other ten is not righteous — it stems from the same desire for status. They are angry not because the request was inappropriate but because James and John tried to get there first.

Translator Notes

1. The verbs katakurieuousin ('lord it over, dominate') and katexousiazousin ('exercise authority over, tyrannize') both have the prefix kata- ('down upon'), emphasizing the downward pressure of coercive power. The phrase 'those considered rulers' (hoi dokountes archein) is subtly ironic — they merely 'seem' to rule; true authority lies elsewhere.

Translator Notes

1. The contrast is absolute: 'not so among you' (ouch houtōs en hymin). The kingdom community operates on an entirely different power structure. The word diakonos ('servant, attendant') describes one who serves others' needs.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. Jesus escalates from diakonos ('servant') in verse 43 to doulos ('slave') here. A doulos had no rights, no status, no self-determination. This is the most radical statement of servant leadership in the Gospels — the one who would be 'first' (prōtos) must become a slave (doulos) to 'all' (pantōn).

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. This is Mark's clearest atonement statement. The word lytron ('ransom') is the price paid to liberate a slave or prisoner of war. The preposition anti ('in place of, instead of, in exchange for') indicates substitution. 'For many' (anti pollōn) echoes Isaiah 53:11-12, where the Servant bears the sins of 'the many.' Jesus grounds the call to service in his own example — the Son of Man's ultimate service is sacrificial death.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Isaiah 53:11-12 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. Bartimaeus is one of the few people healed by Jesus whose name Mark preserves (cf. Jairus, 5:22), suggesting he was known to Mark's community. The name Bar-Timaios is Aramaic for 'son of Timaeus.' His position — blind, begging, by the roadside — represents the lowest social status. Jericho was the last major stop before the ascent to Jerusalem.

Translator Notes

1. Bartimaeus's cry 'Son of David' (Huie Dauid) is the first public messianic acclamation in Mark. The blind man sees what the sighted crowd does not — that Jesus is the Davidic Messiah. The plea 'have mercy on me' (eleēson me) echoes the psalms of lament (Psalm 6:2, 9:13, 51:1).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Psalm 6:2. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The crowd tries to silence Bartimaeus, but like the Syrophoenician woman (7:26-28), he refuses to be deterred. His persistence intensifies — 'all the more' (pollō mallon). Faith in Mark is characterized by persistence in the face of opposition.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus stops the entire procession for a blind beggar — a dramatic reversal of social convention. The crowd that tried to silence Bartimaeus now encourages him. The three imperatives — 'Take heart' (tharsei), 'Get up' (egeire), 'he is calling you' (phōnei se) — convey excitement.

Translator Notes

1. The cloak (himation) was a beggar's most valuable possession — his bedding, his shelter, his collection surface for coins. Bartimaeus throws it aside without hesitation, in stark contrast to the rich man who could not part with his possessions (v. 22). The verb anapēdēsas ('sprang up, jumped up') conveys explosive energy.

Translator Notes

1. The question is identical to verse 36, asked of James and John. The contrast in answers is devastating: James and John wanted thrones; Bartimaeus wants sight. Rabbouni (an intensified form of 'Rabbi') appears only here and in John 20:16 (Mary Magdalene at the tomb).

Translator Notes

1. The phrase 'your faith has saved you' (hē pistis sou sesōken se) uses the perfect tense of sōzō, which means both 'save' and 'heal.' Unlike the blind man at Bethsaida (8:22-26) who was sent home, Bartimaeus follows Jesus 'on the way' (en tē hodō) — the way to Jerusalem, the way of the cross. His story closes the journey section that began in 8:22 with another blind man, forming an inclusio of restored sight.