Mark 6:46

An Exegetical Analysis of Mark 6:45: The Textual and Grammatical Implications of ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει / ἀπολύσῃ τὸν ὄχλον

This exegetical study of An Exegetical Analysis of Mark 6:45 is based on a b-greek discussion from April 4, 2000. The initial inquiry by a participant concerned a perceived grammatical anomaly in Mark 6:45, specifically regarding the verb `ἀπολύει` (present indicative) within the `ἕως` clause. The participant noted a strong intuition that a subjunctive form, `ἀπολύσῃ`, would be more grammatically appropriate given the context of Jesus sending the disciples ahead `until` he dismissed the crowd, and further confirmed this intuition by finding manuscript support for the subjunctive reading.

The core exegetical issue concerns the textual variant between the indicative `ἀπολύει` and the subjunctive `ἀπολύσῃ` in Mark 6:45, specifically in its function within a `ἕως` clause. This variation profoundly impacts the nuance of the temporal relationship—whether it describes a simple contemporaneous action or an anticipated condition—and raises questions about the grammatical conventions for `ἕως` clauses in Hellenistic Greek, particularly the presence or omission of `ἄν` with the subjunctive.

καὶ εὐθὺς ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν εἰς τὸ πέραν πρὸς Βηθσαϊδάν, ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει τὸν ὄχλον. (Mark 6:45, Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• SBLGNT reads ἀπολύσῃ (aorist subjunctive) instead of ἀπολύει (present indicative).

Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (BDAG)

Textual Criticism (NA28): The critical apparatus of NA28 indicates significant textual variation at Mark 6:45. The reading `ἀπολύει` (present indicative), as found in Nestle 1904 and cited in the initial discussion, is supported by a number of important textual witnesses, including Codex D (Bezae), W, the Koine text (`𝛗`), and minuscule manuscripts such as 28, 565, 700, 892, 1241, 1582, and the Syriac Sinaiticus (syr(s)). Conversely, the majority of manuscripts, including early and important papyri (𝕻45, 𝕻75) and codices (B, L, N, Θ, Ψ), along with the Byzantine tradition (Byz) and numerous other minuscules (e.g., f1, f13, 33, 1009, 1424), read `ἀπολύσῃ` (aorist subjunctive). The NA28 text itself adopts `ἀπολύσῃ` as the preferred reading, indicating a scholarly consensus based on both external (age and quality of witnesses) and internal (scribal habits and grammatical context) criteria. The existence of both readings suggests an early textual fluidity or differing grammatical interpretations among scribes.

Lexical Notes (BDAG):

• `ἕως` (heōs): A conjunction meaning “until,” “while,” or “as long as.” Its usage is critical in temporal clauses. When used with the indicative, it typically refers to a factual event, a state continuing up to a certain point, or a concurrent action. When used with the subjunctive (especially for future or anticipated events), it often conveys purpose, expectation, or conditionality.
• `ἀπολύω` (apolyo): This verb signifies “to set free,” “to release,” “to dismiss,” or “to send away.” In Mark 6:45, it refers to Jesus’s action of dismissing the multitude after the feeding miracle. The choice between the indicative and subjunctive form of this verb within the `ἕως` clause directly influences whether the dismissal is presented as a simple fact, an ongoing event, or an anticipated condition.

Translation Variants

Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis: The textual variation between `ἀπολύει` (present indicative) and `ἀπολύσῃ` (aorist subjunctive) within the `ἕως` clause of Mark 6:45 entails significant grammatical and rhetorical implications:

• If `ἀπολύει` (indicative) is adopted, the clause `ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει τὸν ὄχλον` (“while he himself dismisses the crowd” or “until he dismisses the crowd [as a factual ongoing event]”) describes a concurrent action or a factual temporal limit. The disciples are compelled to embark *during the period* or *up to the point* that Jesus is engaged in the act of dismissing the crowd. This reading emphasizes the contemporaneous nature of their departure with his ongoing activity. Grammatically, `ἕως` with the indicative functions to delimit time or describe an action occurring in parallel.

• If `ἀπολύσῃ` (subjunctive) is adopted, as preferred by modern critical editions like NA28 and SBLGNT, the clause `ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύσῃ τὸν ὄχλον` (“until he should dismiss the crowd” or “until he has dismissed the crowd”) indicates a temporal condition or an anticipated future event. The disciples’ departure is presented as being *contingent upon* or *leading up to* Jesus’s future action of dismissing the crowd. This reading implies a projection or expectation, where Jesus’s future, completed action serves as the endpoint for their separate journey. As noted in the original discussion, authoritative grammars such as BDF (§383.2) and Burton (§323) confirm that `ἕως` with the subjunctive (often without `ἄν` in the New Testament, particularly in Hellenistic Greek) frequently expresses such a projected or conditional endpoint. The aorist subjunctive, `ἀπολύσῃ`, specifically emphasizes the *completion* of the action, suggesting that the disciples were to proceed until the crowd *had been* fully and finally dismissed. The rhetorical implication of the subjunctive reading is a stronger sense of anticipation and purpose behind Jesus’s command; their embarkation is presented as directly tied to and awaiting his subsequent, decisive action with the multitude.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The textual evidence predominantly favors `ἀπολύσῃ` (aorist subjunctive), which aligns well with the common New Testament grammatical usage of `ἕως` with the subjunctive to express an anticipated event or condition, even in the absence of `ἄν`. This grammatical construction conveys that Jesus’s dismissal of the crowd was a prerequisite or a specific temporal marker for the subsequent reunion or progression of events. While the indicative reading `ἀπολύει` is grammatically plausible as a statement of concurrent fact, the subjunctive better captures the sense of an intended or awaited completion.

Considering the textual and grammatical analysis, the following translation suggestions capture the nuances:

1. “and immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and to go on ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, until he had dismissed the crowd.”
   This translation emphasizes the completion of the action (the dismissal of the crowd) as the condition that must be met before Jesus’s next move, accurately reflecting the aorist subjunctive.
2. “and immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and to go on ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, until he should dismiss the crowd.”
   This rendering highlights the anticipatory and conditional nature of the `ἕως` clause, particularly relevant for the subjunctive without `ἄν` in certain New Testament contexts, indicating an expected outcome.
3. “and immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and to go on ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.”
   This translation reflects the indicative reading `ἀπολύει`, emphasizing a concurrent action or a simple factual statement of events unfolding in parallel, rather than a conditional or anticipated completion.