Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 3].
Masculine plural present participle, though \pl•thos\ is neuter
singular (construction according to sense in both number and
gender). This crowd by the sea came from Galilee, Judea,
Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond Jordan (Decapolis and Perea), Tyre and
Sidon, Phoenicia, North, South, East, and Northwest, even from
Idumea (mentioned here alone in the N.T.) won by John Hyrcanus to
Palestine. "In our Lord's time Idumea was practically a part of
Judea with a Jewish circumcised population" (George Adam Smith).
Many of these were probably Gentiles (Phoenicia and Decapolis)
and may have known only the Greek language. The fame of Jesus had
spread through all the regions round about. There was a jam as
the crowds came to Jesus by the Sea of Galilee.
3:9 {That a little boat should wait on him} (\hina ploiarion
proskarter•i aut•i\). The boat was to keep close (note present
tense subjunctive of \proskartere•\) to the shore in constant
readiness and move as Jesus did. Whether he needed it or not is
not told, but it was there at hand. {Lest they should throng him}
(\hina m• thlib•sin auton\). Press or crush him. Jesus stayed
with the crowds for they needed him. Present subjunctive again.
3:10 {Pressed upon him} (\epipiptein aut•i\). Were falling upon
him to such an extent that it was dangerous. They were not
hostile, but simply intensely eager, each to have his own case
attended to by Jesus. {That they might touch him} (\hina autou
haps•ntai\). If only that much. They hoped for a cure by contact
with Christ. Aorist subjunctive. It was a really pathetic scene
and a tremendous strain on Jesus. {As many as had plagues}
(\hosoi eichon mastigas\). Strokes or scourges, terms used by us
today as a paralytic stroke, the influenza scourge. Our word
plague is from \pl•g•\ (Latin _plaga_), from \pl•gnumi\, to
strike a blow. Common in ancient Greek in this sense. See Mr
5:29,34; Lu 7:21 for the same use of \mastiges\ and also 2Macc.
9:11.
3:11 {Whensoever they beheld him} (\hotan auton ethe•roun\).
Imperfect indicative with \hotan\ of repeated action. They kept
falling down before him (\prosepipton\) and crying, (\ekrazon\)
and he kept charging or rebuking (\epitim•\) them, all
imperfects. The unclean spirits (demons) recognize Jesus as the
Son of God, as before. Jesus charged them not to make him known
as he had also done before. He did not wish this testimony. It
was a most exciting ordeal and is given only by Mark. Note
non-final use of \hina\.
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MR3.RWP.html (3 of 8) [28/08/2004 09:03:37 a.m.]