Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 3].
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3:1 {Had his hand withered} (\ex•rammen•n ech•n t•n cheira\). He
had his ({the} in the Greek, common idiom with article as
possessive) hand (right hand, Lu 6:6) in a withered state,
perfect passive participle (adjective \x•ran\ in Matthew and
Luke), showing that it was not congenital, but the result of
injury by accident or disease. Bengel: _Non ex utero, sed morbo
aut vulnere_.
3:2 {They watched} (\paret•roun\). Imperfect tense, were watching
on the side (or sly). Luke uses the middle voice, \paret•rounto\,
to accent their personal interest in the proceedings. It was the
sabbath day and in the synagogue and they were there ready to
catch him in the act if he should dare to violate their rules as
he had done in the wheat fields on the previous sabbath. Probably
the same Pharisees are present now as then. {That they might
accuse him} (\hina kat•gor•s•sin autou\). So Mt 12:10. Luke has
it "that they might find how to accuse him" (\hina heur•sin
kat•gorein autou\). They were determined to accuse him. The
sabbath controversy offered the best opening. So here they are
ready for business.
3:3 {Stand forth} (\egeire eis to meson\). Step into the middle
of the room where all can see. It was a bold defiance of the
Christ's spying enemies. Wycliff rightly puts it: {They aspieden
him}. They played the spy on Jesus. One can see the commotion
among the long-bearded hypocrites at this daring act of Jesus.
3:4 {But they held their peace} (\hoi de esi•p•n\). Imperfect
tense. In sullen silence and helplessness before the merciless
questions of Jesus as the poor man stood there before them all.
Jesus by his pitiless alternatives between doing good
(\agathopoie•\, late Greek word in LXX and N.T.) and doing evil
(\kakopoie•\, ancient Greek word), to this man, for instance, {to
save a life or to kill} (\psuch•n s•sai • apokteinai\), as in
this case. It was a terrible exposure.
3:5 {When he had looked round on them with anger}
(\periblepsamenos autous met' org•s\). Mark has a good deal to
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MR3.RWP.html (1 of 8) [28/08/2004 09:03:37 a.m.]
Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Mark: Chapter 3)