J. Duncan M. Derrett 124 Let us consider pavlin itself. It is very common in Mark, where it usu- ally means iteration 17 excepting four possible places (2,1; 5,21; 11,27; 14,39), where it could well imply a return (cf. Jn 4,3; 6,15; Acts 11,10) 18 . English is unfortunate, since «again» is used both of iteration and of a return; e.g. «He went back again» implies not that he traversed the same path a second time but that his return took place. However pavlin at Mk 11,3 can indeed mean «(send it) back (hither)», on those four models above. Cf. Xenophon, Anab. IV.2,13 (retake a position). It is of some interest that lectionaries at 8,13 - where the same problem occurs of order (between pavlin ejmbav~ and ejmbav~ pavlin) read ajph'lqe palin which implies a return, whereas the mss., however much they dif- v fer as between pavlin ejmbav~ and ejmbav~ pavlin do not express a return. Therefore the Church could alter the text to clarify an imputed meaning, and it is possible that has happened at 11,3. What is the point of the alleged promise to return the animal «without delay» (REB), or «right back here» (Johnson)? As we see from the story with its suggestion of controversy, the animal was not returned «immedi- ately» (see 11,11b). If Mark used several sources he cannot have overlook this. One distrusts such «prescience». The WH text tenders an inducement to the custodian(s), or loungers (eJsthkovte"), who behaved as if they pos- sessed the animal, to agree (ajfh'kan) to the colt’s being taken away . No doubt it removes a suspicion that the ass, brusquely seized, was not being stolen (Dt 28,31; cf. Num 16,15!). On the other hand the possible insertors of pavlin knew that a disturbance, the «acclamation», followed the descent into Jerusalem, so that a promise of such a character would have been apposite if Jesus’ prescience was to be believed. So motives to insert palin are not too hard to conjecture. Metzger asks why, in that case, was the v insertion not made into Matthew? But Matthew, being clear, needed none. 3. Loans and animals19 We need not repeat trite learning. Where an animal is loaned for use, but gratuitously the borrowers are liable absolutely for mishaps 20, such as might well occur with an unaccustomed load (ou[pw ejkavqisen) on a 17 Twentyone instances, possibly including 15,13. [Bauer] -Arndt-Gingrich, Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament, s.v. 2. 18 [Bauer] Arndt-Gingrich, pavlin 1. 19 Derrett, op. cit., 165-182. Many points are covered, not the question of pavlin. I was deceived by WH. 20 Mishnah (hereafter «m.») B.M. VII.8-10 (H. Danby, 560); b. B.M. 93a-b. Maimonides, Code, XIII. II. i (trans. J.J. Rabinowitz, 1949, 52ff.). G. Horowitz, Spirit of Jewish Law (New York 1973) §§279-281, few of which details concern us. Jesus’ righteousness is handled by Harvey, ubi cit., and by C.S. Mann, Mark (AB; Garden City NY, 1986), 434-458.