The Meaning of Mark 16:14 Explained

Mark 16:14

KJV: Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

YLT: Afterwards, as they are reclining (at meat), he was manifested to the eleven, and did reproach their unbelief and stiffness of heart, because they believed not those having seen him being raised;

Darby: Afterwards as they lay at table he was manifested to the eleven, and reproached them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen.

ASV: And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Afterward  he appeared  unto the eleven  as they  sat at meat,  and  upbraided  them with their  unbelief  and  hardness of heart,  because  they believed  not  them which had seen  him  after he was risen. 

What does Mark 16:14 Mean?

Study Notes

eleven
A collective term, equivalent to "The Sanhedrin," "The Commons," not necessarily implying that eleven persons were present. See Luke 24:33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:5 ; Matthew 28:16 where "eleven disciples" implies a definite number of persons.

Verse Meaning

This event evidently happened on Easter Sunday evening. This is the most severe rebuke that Jesus ever gave His disciples that the Gospels record. They had not only disbelieved the reports of His resurrection, but they had also hardened their hearts against the possibility of His resurrection. The disciples" own unbelief would help them understand and appreciate the unbelief of many with whom they would share the gospel as eyewitnesses.
"The Apostles may have been allowed to hear of the Resurrection before seeing the risen Christ in order that they might know from personal experience what it was to have to depend upon the testimony of others, as would be the case with their converts." [1]

Context Summary

Mark 16:1-20 - The Power Of His Resurrection
In the dim light the women brave the dangers of an Eastern city and hasten to the grave. How often we seek Christ in the grave of old experiences or of dead and empty rites; and how often we cherish fears for which there is no occasion! In the grave where Christ had lain a young man was sitting, arrayed in a glistening robe; so out of death comes life. And one result of the Savior's resurrection has been that myriads of noble youths, clothed in garments of purity, have gone forth to shine like the dewdrops of the morning sparkling on the bosom of the earth. God's angels are always young. We who are the children of the Resurrection in the life of eternity will grow always younger, as here our bodies are ever growing older. The ministry of Galilee and Jerusalem is at an end, but the spirit of the Master goes forth to new victories in the Acts of the Apostles. Note the mighty power of faith, the signs that follow its manifestation in simplicity and purity; demons cannot resist it, serpents are rendered harmless, and healing streams flow from contact with it. Let us keep our eyes fixed on the risen Christ sitting at the right hand of God, and believe that he is ever working by our side and confirming our words, Hebrews 2:4 [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 16

1  An Angel declares the resurrection of Jesus to three women
9  Jesus himself appears to Mary Magdalene;
12  to two going into the country;
14  then to the apostles;
15  whom he sends forth to preach the gospel;
19  and ascends into heaven

Greek Commentary for Mark 16:14

To the eleven themselves [αυτοις τοις ενδεκα]
Both terms, eleven and twelve (John 20:24), occur after the death of Judas. There were others present on this first Sunday evening according to Luke 24:33. [source]
Afterward [υστερον]
They were guilty of unbelief (απιστιαν — apistian) and hardness of heart (σκληροκαρδιαν — sklērokardian). Doubt is not necessarily a mark of intellectual superiority. One must steer between credulity and doubt. That problem is a vital one today in all educated circles. Some of the highest men of science today are devout believers in the Risen Christ. Luke explains how the disciples were upset by the sudden appearance of Christ and were unable to believe the evidence of their own senses (Luke 24:38-43). [source]
Upbraided [ωνειδισεν]
They were guilty of unbelief Doubt is not necessarily a mark of intellectual superiority. One must steer between credulity and doubt. That problem is a vital one today in all educated circles. Some of the highest men of science today are devout believers in the Risen Christ. Luke explains how the disciples were upset by the sudden appearance of Christ and were unable to believe the evidence of their own senses (Luke 24:38-43). [source]
Afterward [ὕστερον]
Not found elsewhere in Mark. Often in Matthew. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 16:14

Luke 24:25 Fools and slow of heart [ἀνόητοι καὶ βραδεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ]
This is an unfortunate translation, in the light of the ordinary, popular use of the word fool. Jesus would never have called those sorrowful disciplesfools in that sense. The word is compounded of ἀ , not, and νοέω , which implies, besides seeing, perception of the mind as consequent upon sight. It is therefore equivalent to dull of perception. They had read what the prophets had spoken, but had failed to perceive its application to Christ. While this rebuke relates to the understanding, the following one, slow of heart, goes deeper, and contemplates the region of feeling and moral susceptibility. Your heart is dull and slow to respond to these testimonies of your own prophets. Compare hardiness of heart, Mark 16:14. [source]
Luke 11:45 Reproachest [ὑβρίζεις]
The lawyer converts Jesus' reproach (see Mark 16:14, upbraided ) into an insult; the word meaning to outrage or affront. [source]
John 21:1 Shewed [ἐφανέρωσεν]
This rendering might easily convey merely the sense of appearing; but its meaning is much deeper. Occurring frequently in the New Testament, it is used most frequently of God and Christ, or of men in their relation to these. Thus, of Christ in person while upon earth (Mark 16:12, Mark 16:14; John 1:31; John 2:11; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 1:2). Of the works of Christ (John 2:11; John 9:3; 1 John 3:5). Of Christ in redemption (1 John 3:5). Of Christ in His second coming (1 John 2:28). Of Christ in glory (1 John 3:2; Colossians 3:4). It is used of God. Of His revelation to men of the knowledge of Himself (Romans 1:19). Of His manifestation in Christ (1 Timothy 3:16). Of His righteousness (Romans 3:21). Of His love (1 John 4:9). It is used of men. As epistles manifesting the character and spirit of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:11). In the judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). In all these cases the appearing is not merely an appeal to sense, but is addressed to spiritual perception, and contemplates a moral and spiritual effect. It is the setting forth of the law or will or character of God; of the person or work of Christ; of the character or deeds of men, with a view to the disclosure of their quality and to the producing of a moral impression. Rev., manifested. [source]
Acts 1:4 Being assembled together with them [συναλιζομενος]
Present passive participle from συναλιζω — sunalizō an old verb in Herodotus, Xenophon, etc., from sun, with, and αλιζω — halizō from αλης — halēs crowded. The margin of both the Authorized and the Revised Versions has “eating with them” as if from συν — sun and αλς — hals (salt). Salt was the mark of hospitality. There is the verb αλιστητε εν αυτωι — halisthēte en autōi used by Ignatius Ad Magnes. X, “Be ye salted in him.” But it is more than doubtful if that is the idea here though the Vulgate does have convescens illis “eating with them,” as if that was the common habit of Jesus during the forty days (Wendt, Feine, etc.). Jesus did on occasion eat with the disciples (Luke 24:41-43; Mark 16:14). [source]
Acts 1:3 Shewed himself alive [παρεστησεν εαυτον ζωντα]
To the disciples the first Sunday evening (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25), the second Sunday evening (John 20:26-29), at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23), on the mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 15:6), to the disciples in Jerusalem and Olivet (Luke 24:44-53; Mark 16:19.; Acts 1:1-11). Luke uses this verb παριστημι — paristēmi 13 times in the Acts both transitively and intransitively. It is rendered by various English words (present, furnish, provide, assist, commend). The early disciples including Paul never doubted the fact of the Resurrection, once they were convinced by personal experience. At first some doubted like Thomas (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:41; John 20:24.; Matthew 28:17). But after that they never wavered in their testimony to their own experience with the Risen Christ, “whereof we are witnesses” Peter said (Acts 3:15). They doubted at first, that we may believe, but at last they risked life itself in defence of this firm faith. After his passion (μετα το πατειν αυτον — meta to pathein auton). Neat Greek idiom, μετα — meta with the articular infinitive (second aorist active of πασχω — paschō) and the accusative of general reference, “after the suffering as to him.” For πατειν — pathein used absolutely of Christ‘s suffering see also Acts 17:3; Acts 26:23. By many proofs Literally, “in many proofs.” Τεκμηριον — Tekmērion is only here in the N.T., though an old and common word in ancient Greek and occurring in the Koiné{[28928]}š (papyri, etc.). The verb τεκμαιρω — tekmairō to prove by sure signs, is from τεκμαρ — tekmar a sign. Luke does not hesitate to apply the definite word “proofs” to the evidence for the Resurrection of Christ after full investigation on the part of this scientific historian. Aristotle makes a distinction between τεκμηριον — tekmērion (proof) and σημειον — sēmeion (sign) as does Galen the medical writer. Appearing (οπτανομενος — optanomenos). Present middle participle from late verb οπτανω — optanō late Koiné{[28928]}š verb from root οπτω — optō seen in οπσομαι ωπτην — opsomaiοπτασια — ōphthēn In lxx, papyri of second century b.c. (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 83). Only here in the N.T. For δι ημερων τεσσερακοντα — optasia for vision, see note on Acts 26:19; Luke 1:22; Luke 24:23. By the space of forty days At intervals In the Gospel of Luke 24 this separation of forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension is not drawn. The things concerning the Kingdom of God (ευαγγελιον — ta peri tēs basileias tou theou). This phrase appears 33 times in Luke‘s Gospel, 15 times in Mark, 4 times in Matthew who elsewhere has “the kingdom of heaven,” once in John, and 6 times in Acts. No essential distinction is to be drawn between the two for the Jews often used “heaven” rather than “God” to avoid using the Tetragrammaton. But it is noticeable how the word kingdom drops out of Acts. Other words like gospel (τα περι — euaggelion) take the place of “kingdom.” Jesus was fond of the word “kingdom” and Luke is fond of the idiom “the things concerning” (ta peri). Certainly with Jesus the term “kingdom” applies to the present and the future and covers so much that it is not strange that the disciples with their notions of a political Messianic kingdom (Acts 1:6) were slow to comprehend the spiritual nature of the reign of God. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 16:14 mean?

Afterward now were reclining they to the eleven He appeared and rebuked the unbelief of them hardness of heart because those having seen Him arisen from the dead not they believed
Ὕστερον δὲ ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη καὶ ὠνείδισεν τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν σκληροκαρδίαν ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον (ἐκ νεκρῶν) οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν

Ὕστερον  Afterward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὕστερος  
Sense: latter, later, coming after, the second.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀνακειμένοις  were  reclining 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀνάκειμαι  
Sense: to lie at a table, eat together, dine.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἕνδεκα  eleven 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἕνδεκα  
Sense: eleven.
ἐφανερώθη  He  appeared 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φανερόω  
Sense: to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way.
ὠνείδισεν  rebuked 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὀνειδίζω  
Sense: to reproach, upbraid, revile.
ἀπιστίαν  unbelief 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀπιστία 
Sense: unfaithfulness, faithless.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
σκληροκαρδίαν  hardness  of  heart 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: σκληροκαρδία  
Sense: hardness of heart.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
τοῖς  those 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θεασαμένοις  having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: θεάομαι  
Sense: to behold, look upon, view attentively, contemplate (often used of public shows).
ἐγηγερμένον  arisen 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.
νεκρῶν)  the  dead 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: νεκρός  
Sense: properly.
ἐπίστευσαν  they  believed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.