Mark 16:9–20 in Armenian Medieval Literature: A Commentary by Barseł Maškeworc'i

The focus of this paper is the Longer Ending of Mark in the Armenian Commentary on the Gospel of Mark by Barseł Maškeworc‘i, penned in 1325 in the monastery of Maškewor, in Black Mountain. Based on the autograph, housed at the Yerevan Matenadaran-Maštoc‘ Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, I have reconstructed the biblical text used by the interpreter and have compared it with the other Armenian versions of Mark 16:9–20. My study shows that Barseł made slight additions to Mark 16:17 and 16:18 in order to make the Armenian text closer to his perception and interpretation of the given verses. The author interprets each verse and word, demonstrating quite a ‘critical’ approach to the text, comparing and juxtaposing episodes from the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. In the commentary on Mark 16:9 he describes Mary Magdalene’s sentiments, presents intriguing reflections on why Jesus appeared first to her after he had risen. The author explains biblical events in the light of his own historical context, providing interesting examples that reflect the culture, social relationships, everyday life, and moral values of his time. The paper also briefly touches upon Mark’s endings in the Armenian liturgy and the manuscript tradition.