Trajectories in the History of Textual Scholarship on Mark's Endings: A Reconsideration

This article reconsiders the history of textual scholarship on the issue of Mark’s endings. Particular attention is given to the period from the sixteenth to the late-eighteenth century, when Birch discovered that Codex Vaticanus does not contain the traditional ending as found in the Textus Receptus. Although direct attestation of the absence in Greek manuscripts was unknown to most scholars of that time, textual critics did in fact discuss the various Markan endings, informed as they were by ancient versions and patristic sources. Our contribution presents the opinions of important scholars, which in many ways anticipate discussions and arguments persisting till today. It aims to provide an exploratory overview of the scholarly history of Mark’s endings and to show the elements that led to the so-called ‘turning point’ in the late-eighteenth century.