The Disputed Ending of Mark’s Gospel

We are starting our approach and coming in for a landing with our journey through the Gospel of Mark.  This week we will be looking at Mark’s account of the Triumphal Entry (found in Mark 11:1-11) and then for Easter we will be considering what Mark’s account of the empty tomb (Mark 16:1-8) means for us.

The end of the Gospel of Mark has caused some confusion for believers.  If your Bible is like mine, it has some sort of note after 16:8 saying this – “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20.”  What is up with that?

Some scholars believe that Mark ended his Gospel with verse 8.  Their belief is supported by the fact that two of the earliest known manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel (which are almost universally accepted as also two of the most reliable) do not include verses 9-20.  These scholars also point to the harsh transition from verse 8 to verse 9, as the text doesn’t flow well at all.  These verses contain many Greek words that Mark did use anywhere else in his Gospel, which may suggest that someone else wrote them.  As to who would have written those verses, well there are almost as many suggestions as there are scholars!

Other scholars believe that these verses belong to Mark.  These scholars point to the significant majority of manuscripts that do contain them.  They also point to the fact that verse 8 ends with the women at the tomb trembling with fear, which seems out of touch with the rest of Mark’s themes in his Gospel.  To these scholars it seems unlikely that Mark would choose to not end his Gospel with at least a few verses explaining what happened after the empty tomb.

Adding more complexity to the discussion is what is said in verses 17 & 18:

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.

According to this disputed passage these are the last words that Jesus spoke to the disciples before He ascended into heaven.  The idea that true believers will pick up snakes and drink poison is particularly troubling to many believers, although it is the practice of some of the Holiness churches in the Appalachian Mountain region.

So…what are we to do with this?  It’s important to note a few things:

  1. This isn’t the only instance of disputed text in the Bible.  The same thing happens with John 7:53 -8:11, for example.
  2. When we talk about inerrancy of Scripture, it’s important to define it well.  I believe the Bible is inerrant in its original writings.  What we have today are thousands upon thousands of ancient manuscripts and citations that have allowed scholars to recreate the original work.  In that process, there has been the occasional phrase, verse, or section that has come under scholastic review and debate.  However, it is important to remember that NO important doctrine of Scripture has ever been put in doubt due to these uncertainties. That is certainly true with the Mark passage.  Verses 9-20 do not add any new information and do not contradict any other doctrine found in the rest of Scripture.
  3. The level of scrutiny that is applied to the Bible is far beyond what is given to any other ancient work.  No one really questions that Homer wrote The Illiad, for example, even though all we have are copies of his work.  And those copies weren’t made nearly as close to the time of the original work that the Bible manuscripts are.  When you really dig into it, the level of scholarship that has been applied to the Bible is unparalleled in history.
  4. Because of points 1, 2, and 3, we can be rest assured that what we hold in our hands is the inspired, authoritative, and inerrant Word of God.  We can always trust the truth found in the Bible, and when dealing with difficult passages we can rely on the truth that the Bible presents a consistent message from Genesis through Revelation and does not contradict itself (I’m quoting my position paper here).

So by now you are probably wondering where I stand on all of this.  Fair question!  I am comfortable with considering the ending of Mark to be inspired text, although I certainly can see the evidence against it.

Don’t worry, however, I won’t be introducing snakes into our worship (I am not a fan of snakes)!  In fact, I would suggest that most of the signs listed in this passage took place in the days of the apostles, and they are recorded in the Book of Acts. The closest thing to taking up snakes was Paul’s experience on Malta (Acts 28:3–6). But other than that, there is no biblical record of people purposely picking up snakes.  The drinking of poison is not recorded in Scripture either.

There is no doubt that God performed many wonders that are not recorded in Scripture. The context of this passage seems to be referring to the apostles. In order to establish the credibility of their message, they needed to be able to perform miracles. Yet, as we continue to read in the New Testament, miracles became less prominent and living out the principles of the faith became more important.

One final word of caution – Anyone who does something unsafe in order to prove his or her faith is giving in to the same temptation that Satan tempted Jesus with when Satan said that Jesus should throw himself off of the temple roof to prove that He was the Son of God.  Warren Wiersbe puts it better than I can – “Jesus refused to tempt God, and we should follow his example. Yes, God cares for his children when, in his will, they are in dangerous places; but he is not obligated to care for us when we foolishly get out of his will. We are called to live by faith, not by chance, and to trust God, not tempt him.”

Here’s what’s happening:

  1. Thank you to everyone who was able to contribute to our canned pasta collection for Oxford Neighborhood Services.  We collected 281 cans of pasta!  ONS said that they were down to their last two boxes of pasta, so our blessing arrived just in time.  Isn’t God’s timing amazing?
  2.  We are celebrating Holy Communion this Sunday.
  3. Junior Youth have their monthly gathering this Sunday as well.
  4. Holy Week Prayer Vigil – Plenty of spots still available!  We will be passing around the sign-up sheets during the service on Sunday.
  5. Good Friday Service – 7 pm on 4/7.  This is a service of reflection and we will end with a time of communion before the cross.
  6. Easter Morning Sunrise Service – 7 am on 4/9.  This service is held on the upper parking lot area between the church and the schoolhouse (weather permitting).  Dress warmly and bring a lawn chair.  We will also bring some folding chairs outside.
  7. Easter morning breakfast is scheduled for 8 am.  Please bring a breakfast casserole and either a pastry or fruit to share.
  8. If you are interested in being baptized (or would just like to learn more about baptism), please let me know soon, as I need to order materials.
  9. There are still several items in the coat rack area that are considered “Lost and Found.”  Please look them over, as they will be finding a new home after Sunday.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday!  We will be looking at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, what it teaches us about Jesus’ first arrival on earth, and how it foreshadows His 2nd Coming!