These Signs: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 16:9-20)

It bothers some that a comparison of the many New Testament manuscripts available show minor variations from one another, and in a couple of cases, some large variations. But in terms of defending the reliability of our Scriptures and thus of our faith, this record of variations is actually a help. We can see clearly the history of the transmission of our Bible through copies and demonstrate that it upholds the integrity of our text.

[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]

[[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] (Mark 16:9-20, ESV)

Here is the note in the ESV Study Bible about the questionable character of these verses:

Some ancient manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel contain these verses and others do not, which presents a puzzle for scholars who specialize in the history of such manuscripts. This longer ending is missing from various old and reliable Greek manuscripts (esp. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus), as well as numerous early Latin, Syriac, Armenian, and Georgian manuscripts. Early church fathers (e.g., Origen and Clement of Alexandria) did not appear to know of these verses. Eusebius and Jerome state that this section is missing in most manuscripts available at their time. And some manuscripts that contain vv. 9–20 indicate that older manuscripts lack the section. On the other hand, some early and many later manuscripts (such as the manuscripts known as A, C, and D) contain vv. 9–20, and many church fathers (such as Irenaeus) evidently knew of these verses. As for the verses themselves, they contain various Greek words and expressions uncommon to Mark, and there are stylistic differences as well. Many think this shows vv. 9–20 to be a later addition. In summary, vv. 9–20 should be read with caution. As in many translations, the editors of the ESV have placed the section within brackets, showing their doubts as to whether it was originally part of what Mark wrote, but also recognizing its long history of acceptance by many in the church. The content of vv. 9–20 is best explained by reference to other passages in the Gospels and the rest of the NT. (Most of its content is found elsewhere, and no point of doctrine is affected by the absence or presence of vv. 9–20.) 

Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples parallels Luke 24:25,26 where he tells the two he speaks to on the road to Emmaus that they should have believed the prophets about him and his death and resurrection.

His commissioning of the disciples to preach the gospel is paralleled in Matthew 28:19,20.  Though here it says that whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, it also emphasizes believing when it says whoever does not believe will be condemned, not mentioning baptism again.  Some have used this passage to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation.

Some have taken the casting out of demons, speaking in new tongues (presumably speaking by the enablement of the Holy Spirit in a foreign language you did not know), picking up dangerous snakes, drinking poison and healing the sick as commands and requirements for everyone who names the name of Jesus as Savior.  But the text simply says these signs will follow or accompany those who believe.  That does not mean that every believer will perform them, but that they will occur among the body of believers.

It is my conclusion that these verses are not genuine to the Gospel of Mark.  Someone added them because they found the unsatisfying ending at verse 8 to be unacceptable.  Surely verse 8 is not the end of this Gospel, but I don’t believe we have the ending.  It has been lost.  As the ESV note said, this does not affect any doctrine of our faith but shows, in the larger picture, just how carefully the manuscripts and copies of the New Testament have been taken care of.  Many ancient texts have missing sections due to wear and tear on the manuscript.  Overall, however, our documents have been remarkably preserved. [see The Ending of Mark’s Gospel]

We will not, however, like Islam, gloss over the problems in our text and remove all evidence of textual transmission issues. The record of variant readings in the over 5,000 manuscripts of the New Testament that we possess is evidence that no one in the church is covering up the original writings. Most of the variants are extremely minor. The ending of Mark is one of the two really large variations we have in our New Testament (John 7:53-8:11 being the other). We have reason for great confidence in the reliability of our text.