Nathan Eubank, «Dying with Power. Mark 15,39 from Ancient to Modern Interpretation», Vol. 95 (2014) 247-268
This article examines the reception-history of Mark 15,39 to shed new light on this pivotal and disputed verse. Mark's earliest known readers emended the text to clarify the centurion's feelings about Jesus and to explain how the centurion came to faith. Copyists inserted references to Jesus' final yell around the same time that patristic commentators were claiming that this yell was a miracle that proved Jesus' divinity, an interpretation which was enshrined in the Byzantine text and the Vulgate. The article concludes that a 'sarcastic' reading is a more adequate description of 15,39 as found in B, NA28 etc.
05_Eubank_247_268 15/07/14 12:19 Pagina 251
DYING WITH POWER 251
As the underlined portions show, Matthew, Luke, and Peter all
add the following elements: 1) something more impressive than
Jesus’ dying breath to provoke a confession; 2) additional witnesses
who, like the centurion, were led to make a confession; 3) explana-
tory phrases that determine the tone of the centurion’s words.
2. Copyists of Mark
Unlike the authors of Matthew, Luke, and Peter, copyists of Mark
were not at liberty to create an entirely new gospel. Interestingly,
however, the manuscript evidence evinces discomfort with the very
features of Mark that were altered by later passion narratives. Here
is a sample of the most relevant readings. Note both how the centu-
rion is described vis-à-vis Jesus and what prompts his confession.
Vaticanus (B) = NA28
ivdw.n de. o` kenturi,wn o` paresthkw.j evx When the centurion who stood facing him saw how
evnanti,aj auvtou/ o[ti ou[twj evxe,pneusen ei=pen\ he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the
avlhqw/j ou-toj o` a;nqrwpoj ui`oj. qeou/ h=nÅ son of God”.
Bezae (D)
ivdw.n de. o` kenturi,wn o` paresthkw.j evki/ [= When the centurion who stood there saw how he
evkei/] ou[twj auvto.n kra,xanta kai. evxe,pneusen cried out and breathed his last [he said,] “Truly this
avlhqw/j ou-toj o` a;nqrwpoj qeou/ ui`oj. h=nÅ man was God’s son”.
Freerianus (W)
ivdw.n de. o` kenturi,wn parestw.j auvtw/| o[ti When the centurion who stood with him saw that he
kra,xaj 9 evxe,pneusen( ei=pen( avlhqw/j o` breathed his last while crying out he said, “Truly this
a;nqrwpoj ou-toj ui`oj. h=n qeou/Å man was the son of God”.
Bobbiensis (k)
Videns autem centurio qui ex adverso stabat When the centurion who was standing facing him
quia sic exclamavit ait vere homo hic Filius Dei saw how he cried out he said, “Truly this man was
erat. the son of God”.
Clementine Vulgate
Videns autem centurio qui ex adverso stabat When the centurion who was standing facing him
quia sic clamans exspirasset ait vere homo hic saw how he had breathed his last while crying out he
Filius Dei erat. said, “Truly this man was the son of God”.
Alexandrinus = TR
ivdw.n de. o` kenturi,wn o` paresthkw.j evx When the centurion who was standing facing him
evnanti,aj auvtou/ o[ti ou[twj kra,xaj saw how he breathed his last while crying out he
evxe,pneusen( ei=pen( avlhqw/j o` a;nqrwpoj ou- - said, “Truly this man was the son of God”.
toj ui`oj. h=n qeou/Å
9
Cf. Matt 27,50.