Mark 16

Chapter context

What is happening in Mark 16?

discipleshipthe crosssecrecyauthority

Mark 16 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as passion and resurrection. Mark is the swiftest and starkest Gospel, presenting Jesus as the mighty Son of God whose mission reaches its center in suffering, abandonment, and resurrection. Read this chapter with the wider themes of discipleship, the cross, and secrecy in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. ² And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. ³ And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? ⁴ And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. ⁵ And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. ⁶ And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. ⁸ And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. ⁹ Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. ¹⁰ And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. ¹¹ And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. ¹² After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. ¹³ And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. ¹⁴ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. ¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ¹⁷ And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. ¹⁹ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Study helps

Glossary

James Person v. 1: (1. ) The son of Zebedee and Salome; an elder brother of John the apostle. He was one of the twelve. He was by trade a fisherman, in partnership with Peter ( Matt. 20:20 ; 27:56 ).
Mary Person v. 1, 9: Hebrew Miriam. (1. ) The wife of Joseph, the mother of Jesus, called the “Virgin Mary,” though never so designated in Scripture ( Matt. 2:11 ; Acts 1:14 ). Little is known of her personal history.
Salome Person v. 1: Perfect. (1. ) The wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John (Mat. 27:56), and probably the sister of Mary, the mother of our Lord ( John 19:25 ). She sought for her sons places of honour in Christ’s kingdom.
Nazareth Place v. 6: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Nazareth.
Galilee Place v. 7: Biblical region. Modern identification: Galilee.
Peter Person v. 7: Originally called Simon (=Simeon, i. e., “hearing”), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona ( Matt. 16:17 ). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture.
Jerusalem Place v. 12: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Tongues, Confusion of People v. 17: At Babel, the cause of the early separation of mankind and their division into nations. The descendants of Noah built a tower to prevent their dispersion; but God “confounded their language”.