The Meaning of Mark 3:10 Explained

Mark 3:10

KJV: For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

YLT: for he did heal many, so that they threw themselves on him, in order to touch him -- as many as had plagues;

Darby: For he healed many, so that they beset him that they might touch him, as many as had plagues.

ASV: for he had healed many; insomuch that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  he had healed  many;  insomuch that  they pressed upon  him  for to  touch  him,  as many as  had  plagues. 

What does Mark 3:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 3:1-19 - The Lord Of The Sabbath
The ritualist demands the outward, the conventional, the ancient usage of the past. Christ says, "Be natural." The needs of man, whether of body or of soul, are greater than ceremonial restriction. Ceremonies are only expressions of life, and where life is wanting, they are meaningless and void.
The withered hand, Mark 3:1-6. Through long disuse of powers which God has given, but which we have refrained from exercising, degeneration may have set in; Christ, however, bids us exert them again. In so far as we dare to obey, we shall find ourselves able. Dare to speak, or pray, or work, not at the impulse of your nature, but at His bidding, and you will suddenly find yourself given power.
The Apostolate, Mark 2:7-19. On three occasions Christ used the boat as His pulpit, Mark 4:1; Luke 5:3. We must be disciples (learners), before we can be apostles (those sent). As the Father sent the Master, so the Master sends us. Our mission is threefold-to bear Him company, to perform His errands, and to cast out devils. What infinite variety in the apostolic band! The Boanergic group of four; the group of questioners who were sometimes doubters; and the group of practical men, whose business capacity was a snare at least to one. If there was a traitor even amid the Twelve, who can expect to find his fields free from tares? [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 3

1  Jesus heals the withered hand,
10  and many other infirmities;
11  rebukes the unclean spirit;
13  chooses his twelve apostles;
22  convinces the blasphemy of casting out demons by Beelzebub;
31  and shows who are his brother, sister, and mother

Greek Commentary for Mark 3:10

Pressed upon him [επιπιπτειν αυτωι]
Were falling upon him to such an extent that it was dangerous. They were not hostile, but simply intensely eager, each to have his own case attended to by Jesus. [source]
That they might touch him [ινα αυτου απσωνται]
If only that much. They hoped for a cure by contact with Christ. Aorist subjunctive. It was a really pathetic scene and a tremendous strain on Jesus.As many as had plagues (οσοι ειχον μαστιγας — hosoi eichon mastigas). Strokes or scourges, terms used by us today as a paralytic stroke, the influenza scourge. Our word plague is from πληγη — plēgē (Latin plaga), from πληγνυμι — plēgnumi to strike a blow. Common in ancient Greek in this sense. See note on Mark 5:29, Mark 5:34; Luke 7:21 for the same use of μαστιγες — mastiges and also 2 Maccabees 9:11. [source]
As many as had plagues [οσοι ειχον μαστιγας]
Strokes or scourges, terms used by us today as a paralytic stroke, the influenza scourge. Our word plague is from πληγη — plēgē (Latin plaga), from πληγνυμι — plēgnumi to strike a blow. Common in ancient Greek in this sense. See note on Mark 5:29, Mark 5:34; Luke 7:21 for the same use of μαστιγες — mastiges and also 2 Maccabees 9:11. [source]
Pressed upon [ἐπιπίπτειν]
Lit.,fell upon. [source]
Plagues [μάστιγας]
Lit., scourges. Compare Acts 22:24; Hebrews 11:36. Our word plague is from πληγή , Latin plaga, meaning a blow. Pestilence or disease is thus regarded as a stroke from a divine hand. Πληγή is used in classical Greek in this metaphorical sense. Thus Sophocles, “Ajax,” 270: “I fear that a calamity ( πληγή ) is really come from heaven ( θεοῦ , god )So of war. Aeschylus, “Persae,” 251: “O Persian land, how hath the abundant prosperity been destroyed by a single blow ( ἐν μιᾷ πληγῇ ). The word here, scourges, carries the same idea. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 3:10

Mark 5:29 Plague []
See on Mark 3:10. [source]
Mark 5:29 I am healed [ιαμαι]
Ιαται — Iātai retains the perfect passive in the indirect discourse. It was a vivid moment of joy for her. The plague It is an old word that was used for afflictions regarded as a scourge from God. See note on Mark 3:10. [source]
Luke 7:21 Diseases - plagues [νόσων - μαστίγων]
See on Matthew 4:23; and Mark 3:10. Marking the two classes of disease recognized in medical writings, chronic and acute. [source]
John 19:1 Scourged [ἐμαστίγωσεν]
Matthew and Mark use the Greek form of the Latin word flagellare, φραγελλόω , which occurs only in those two instances in the New Testament. John uses the more common Greek word, though he has φραγελλίον (flagellum ), scourge, at John 2:15. Matthew and Mark, however, both use μαστιγόω elsewhere (Matthew 10:17; Matthew 20:29; Mark 10:34). Its kindred noun, μάστιξ , occurs several times in the metaphorical sense of a plague. See on Mark 3:10, and compare Mark 5:29, Mark 5:34; Luke 7:21. The verb is used metaphorically only once, Hebrews 12:6. Scourging was the legal preliminary to crucifixion, but, in this case, was inflicted illegally before the sentence of crucifixion was pronounced, with a view of averting the extreme punishment, and of satisfying the Jews. (Luke 23:22). The punishment was horrible, the victim being bound to a low pillar or stake, and beaten, either with rods, or, in the case of slaves and provincials, with scourges, called scorpions, leather thongs tipped with leaden balls or sharp spikes. The severity of the infliction in Jesus' case is evident from His inability to bear His cross. [source]
John 13:25 Lying [ἐπιπεσὼν]
This word is, literally, to fall upon, and is so rendered in almost every instance in the New Testament. In Mark 3:10, it is applied to the multitudes pressing upon Christ. It occurs, however, nowhere else in John, and therefore some of the best authorities read ἀναπεσὼν , leaning back, a verb which John uses several times in the Gospel, as in John 13:12. So Rev. Whichever of the two is read, it points out the distinction, which the A.V. misses by the translation lying, between ἦν ἀνακείμενος (John 13:23), which describes the reclining position of John throughout the meal, and the sudden change of posture pictured by ἀναπεσὼν , leaning back. The distinction is enforced by the different preposition in each case: reclining in ( ἐν ) Jesus' bosom, and leaning back ( ἀνά ). Again, the words bosom and breast represent different words in the Greek; κόλπος representing more generally the bend formed by the front part of the reclining person, the lap, and στῆθος the breast proper. The verb ἀναπίπτω , to lean back, always in the New Testament describes a change of position. It is used of a rower bending back for a fresh stroke. Plato, in the well-known passage of the “Phaedrus,” in which the soul is described under the figure of two horses and a charioteer, says that when the charioteer beholds the vision of love he is afraid, and falls backward ( ἀνέπεσεν ), so that he brings the steeds upon their haunches. [source]
Revelation 9:18 These three []
Add πληγῶν plagueson which see on Mark 3:10; see on Luke 10:30. [source]
Revelation 15:1 The seven last plagues [πληγὰς ἑπτὰ τὰς ἐσχάτας]
Lit., seven plagues the last. Rev., “which are the last.” See on Mark 3:10; see on Luke 10:30. [source]
Revelation 11:6 With all plagues [πάσῃ πληγῇ]
Singular number. Rev., correctly, with every plague. See on Mark 3:10. Not merely with the plagues with which Moses smote Egypt. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 3:10 mean?

Many for He healed so as for to press upon Him that Him they might touch as many as had diseases
πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐθεράπευσεν ὥστε ἐπιπίπτειν αὐτῷ ἵνα αὐτοῦ ἅψωνται ὅσοι εἶχον μάστιγας

πολλοὺς  Many 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
ἐθεράπευσεν  He  healed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θεραπεύω  
Sense: to serve, do service.
ὥστε  so  as  for 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὥστε  
Sense: so that, insomuch that.
ἐπιπίπτειν  to  press  upon 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἐπιπίπτω  
Sense: to fall upon, to rush or press upon.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ἅψωνται  they  might  touch 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἅπτω  
Sense: to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to.
ὅσοι  as  many  as 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅσος  
Sense: as great as, as far as, how much, how many, whoever.
μάστιγας  diseases 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: μάστιξ  
Sense: a whip, scourge.