Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 16].
16:16 {And is baptized} (\kai baptistheis\). The omission of
{baptized} with "disbelieveth" would seem to show that Jesus does
not make baptism essential to salvation. Condemnation rests on
disbelief, not on baptism. So salvation rests on belief. Baptism
is merely the picture of the new life not the means of securing
it. So serious a sacramental doctrine would need stronger support
anyhow than this disputed portion of Mark.
16:17 {They shall speak with new tongues} (\gl•ssais lal•sousin
[kainais]\). Westcott and Hort put \kainais\ (new) in the margin.
Casting out demons we have seen in the ministry of Jesus.
Speaking with tongues comes in the apostolic era (Ac 2:3f.;
10:46; 19:6; 1Co 12:28; 14).
16:18 {They shall take up serpents} (\opheis arousin\). Jesus had
said something like this in Lu 10:19 and Paul was unharmed by
the serpent in Malta (Ac 28:3f.). {If they drink any deadly
thing} (\k'an thanasimon ti pi•sin\). This is the only N.T.
instance of the old Greek word \thanasimos\ (deadly). Jas 3:8
has \thanat•phoros\, deathbearing. Bruce considers these verses
in Mark "a great lapse from the high level of Matthew's version
of the farewell words of Jesus" and holds that "taking up
venomous serpents and drinking deadly poison seem to introduce us
into the twilight of apocryphal story." The great doubt
concerning the genuineness of these verses (fairly conclusive
proof against them in my opinion) renders it unwise to take these
verses as the foundation for doctrine or practice unless
supported by other and genuine portions of the N.T.
16:19 {Was received up into heaven} (\anel•mpth• eis ton
ouranon\). First aorist passive indicative. Luke gives the fact
of the Ascension twice in Gospel (Lu 24:50f.) and Ac 1:9-11.
The Ascension in Mark took place after Jesus spoke to the
disciples, not in Galilee (16:15-18), nor on the first or
second Sunday evening in Jerusalem. We should not know when it
took place nor where but for Luke who locates it on Olivet (Lu
24:50) at the close of the forty days (Ac 1:3) and so after
the return from Galilee (Mt 28:16). {Sat down at the right hand
of God} (\ekathisen ek dexi•n tou theou\). Swete notes that the
author "passes beyond the field of history into that of
theology," an early and most cherished belief (Ac 7:55f.; Ro
8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1Pe 3:22; Re
3:21).
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MR16.RWP.html (6 of 7) [28/08/2004 09:04:46 a.m.]