Most of the materials of Mark's narrative oc cur also in Matthew and Luke. He has, however, sections exclusively belonging to himself, viz. iii : 21, 31, sq.; v1:17, sq.; xi:11; :di :28, sq.
We mention the conclusion of Mark's Gospel separately, since its genuineness may be called in question. Among the Codices Majusculi the Co dex B. omits ch. xvi :9-2o altogether, and several of the Codices Minusculi mark this section with asterisks as doubtful. Several ancient Fathers and authors of Scholia state that it was wanting in some manuscripts. We cannot, however, suppose that it was arbitrarily added by a copyist, since at present all codices, except B, and all ancient versions contain it, and the Fathers in general quote it. We may also say that Mark could not have concluded his gospel with ver. 8, unless he had been accidentally prevented from finishing it. Hence Michaelis and Hug have inferred that the addition was made by the evangelist at a later period, in a similar manner as John made an addition in ch. xxi. of his gospel. Perhaps also an intimate friend, or an amanuensis, sup plied the defect. If either of these two hypoth eses is well founded, it may be understood why several codices were formerly without this con clusion, and why, nevertheless, it was found in most of them. A. T.
MARK (mSrk). This term.is variously used.
1. (Heb. P, bin). A sign or brand fixed on the forehead, hand or other part of the body for the purpose of identification (Ezek. ix:4, 6).
2. (Heb. othe). Whether God set a "mark" on Cain's person to distinguish him from others, or only gave him some token, as he did Gideon that he would make him conquer the Midianites, and that he would preserve him, we know not (Gen. iv :15).
3. It is used in the sense of a target (Heb.
1'474r-, mat-taw-raw', watched, I Sam. xx:2o; Job xvi:t2; Lam.
In Gal. vi :17 Paul writes, "Henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ," i. e., the brand of my master, Jesus Christ. The Greek arlytia (stig'mah) is the common word for the brand or mark with which masters marked their slaves. St. Paul's sufferings and scars were the marks or brands of Christ, his master.
The mark (Gr. xdpaypa, khar'ag-mah, stamp) was stamped on the right hand or the forehead as the badge of the followers of Antichrist (Rev. xiii :16 ; .xiv :9, ; XVI :2; XIX :20 ; XX :4).