Mark 16:12

12 Later he appeared, but in a different form, to two of them out walking in the countryside.

Mark 16:12 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 16:12

After that
A little time, or some few hours after, on the selfsame day; see ( Luke 24:13 ) ;

he appeared in another form:
it seems to have been the form, or habit of a gardener that he appeared in to Mary; since she thought him to be one, and to be the gardener that belonged to the garden, in which the sepulchre was: but now it was in another form, or habit, that he appeared; very likely in the habit of a Scribe, or doctor; since he took upon him to expound the Scriptures to the persons he appeared to; as also took bread, and blessed it, when at supper with them, ( Luke 24:27 Luke 24:30 ) . According to the Jewish canons F13

``if two persons eat together, and one of them is a Scribe, and the other an unlearned man, (Krbm rpwo) , "the Scribe blesses", and the unlearned man is excused.''

This is not to be understood of any change in the shape of his body, or the features of his face; for as soon as their eyes were opened, which had been before held, they knew him perfectly well: whereas, if there had been such an alteration made in him, that he could not have been known for the same, there would have been no need of holding their eyes, that they should not know him, ( Luke 24:16 Luke 24:31 ) . This appearance was

unto two of them;
one of them was Cleophas, or Alphaeus, which is the same, ( Luke 24:18 ) ; the other is by some F14 thought to be Simon Peter, from what is said in ( Luke 24:34 ) though others F15 think it was Nathanael, and others F16 Luke the evangelist, who conceals his own name, when he mentions the other; and some F17 that his name was Ammaon, which perhaps may be through mistake of the place, Emmaus, where they were going, for the name of one of them, and the appearance to them was,

as they walked, and went into the country:
to a country village called Emmaus, about sixty furlongs, or seven miles and a half from Jerusalem; see ( Luke 24:13 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F13 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 45. 2.
F14 Lightfoot, Hor. in. v. 13. & in Luk. xxiv. 13.
F15 Epiphan contra Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 23.
F16 Vid. Theophylact. in Luc. xxiv. 13.
F17 Ambros in Luc. 12. 49. & 24.

Mark 16:12 In-Context

10 She went to his former companions, now weeping and carrying on, and told them.
11 They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished. When they heard her report that she had seen him alive and well, they didn't believe her.
12 Later he appeared, but in a different form, to two of them out walking in the countryside.
13 They went back and told the rest, but they weren't believed either.
14 Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn unbelief, refusing to believe those who had seen him raised up.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.