Mark 16

Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark. In Mark 15, Jesus dies on the cross and is buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. This chapter continues with the account of the empty tomb on the morning after the Sabbath.

Outline

• Verses 1–4 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bring spices and go to the tomb very early on the first day of the week. The large stone that sealed the entrance has already been rolled away.
• Verses 5–7 A young man clothed in white announces that Jesus has risen. He then tells them to inform the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going before them into Galilee.
• Verse 8 The women flee trembling and, being afraid, say nothing to anyone.
• Verses 9–11 Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene. Those who hear the news, however, do not believe it.
• Verses 12–13 Jesus appears in another form to two people as they walk into the country. The remaining disciples do not believe their report either.
• Verses 14–18 Jesus appears to the eleven disciples and rebukes their unbelief. He then commands them to preach the gospel throughout the world and describes the signs that will follow those who believe.
• Verses 19–20 Jesus is taken up into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, and the disciples go forth and preach everywhere.

Key Verses

• Mark 16:6 "He is risen; he is not here" — the heart of Mark's proclamation of the resurrection.
• Mark 16:8 "Neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid" — the point at which the Gospel of Mark ends in the oldest manuscripts, which has made it the subject of much interpretive discussion.
• Mark 16:15 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" — cited together with the command in Matthew as a Great Commission text.

People and Places

• Mary Magdalene: Introduced in verse 9 as the one from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons, she is the first person to meet the risen Jesus.
• Mary the mother of James: In 15:40 she appears as one of the women who watched the crucifixion from a distance.
• Salome: She is likewise named in 15:40 as one of the women at the cross.
• The young man in white: Mark refers to him only as a "young man." Matthew 28 identifies the figure in this scene as an angel.
• Peter: In verse 7 he is named separately from the other disciples.
• Galilee: The place where Jesus said he would go ahead of the disciples and meet them.
• Nazareth: Jesus' hometown; the young man refers to him as "Jesus of Nazareth."

Points for Reflection

• The manuscript question of verses 9–20: Verses 9–20 are absent from Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, the leading fourth-century manuscripts. For this reason, the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version enclose this section in brackets. Most modern scholars regard it as a later addition. Others, however, hold it to be part of the original text, citing evidence such as Irenaeus's quotation of verse 19 in the second century. This view is held especially by those who give priority to the text underlying the King James Bible. Some of the manuscripts that lack verses 9–20 contain a different, shorter ending.
• Overlap with the other Gospels: Verses 9–20 share much content with other writings. The appearance to Mary Magdalene resembles John 20, and the appearance to two people resembles Luke's account of the road to Emmaus. The ascension also appears in Acts 1.
• Verse 16 and baptism: This verse is frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between faith and baptism. Some traditions regard baptism as necessary for salvation, while others read faith as decisive, noting that the second half of verse 16 condemns only "he that believeth not."
• The signs of verses 17–18: Those who expect speaking in tongues and healing today and those who regard these signs as limited to the apostolic age read these verses differently (see Cessationism and Continuationism). The idea of suffering no harm from a serpent's bite is often connected with the account of Paul in Acts 28:3–6.

In the Korean Church

Mark 16:1–8 is frequently used as a sermon text for Easter. Verse 15 is widely cited in sermons and events emphasizing missions and evangelism.