What About The Ending Of Mark's Gospel?

 Bible readers will notice that Mark 16:9-20 in most translations has brackets around it, along with a note saying some early manuscripts do not include 16:9-20.  So is Mark 16:9-20 (the long ending) part of the original Gospel of Mark?  

There are three options with the ending of Mark's Gospel.  The first option is that 16:9-20 is authentic and part of the original.  The second option is that Mark ended his Gospel at 16:8.  The third option is that the original ending of Mark has been lost.  

Mark 16:9-20 is found in most of the Greek manuscripts, all except two.  The two manuscripts that do not contain it are also our earliest copies of Mark 16 (Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus) both of which date to around A.D. 350.  These two manuscripts are considered to be very reliable overall.  Also some manuscripts that do contain 16:9-20 have notes stating that some manuscripts of Mark end at 16:8.  

Eusebius (A.D. 260-339) states that most of the manuscripts that he has of Mark' Gospel end at 16:8.  Jerome (A.D. 347-420) also says that most of the manuscripts do not contain 16:9-20.  But on the other hand Irenaeus (A.D. 130-202) seems to quote from Mark 16:9-20.  

Mark 16:9-20 does not seem to fit with 16:1-8.  But Mark ending his Gospel at 16:8 would seem to be an unusual and abrupt ending, that does not contain resurrection appearances, although the resurrection is mentioned in 16:6.  It seems unlikely that the original ending of Mark has been lost.  

The issue of the ending of Mark's Gospel is complex and perplexing.   

The Old Testament And The Resurrection Of Christ

 Does the Old Testament predict the resurrection of Jesus?  The New Testament writers say yes.  

In Acts 2:25-28 the Apostle Peter quotes from Psalm 16:8-11 which was written by David.  Peter makes the point that David died and was not writing about himself, but was writing about his descendant who was Christ Jesus.  

(Acts 2:27)"For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption." (ESV) 

(Acts 2:31)"he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption." (ESV) 

In Acts 13:32-41 the Apostle Paul quotes from Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3, and Psalm 16:10 to prove the resurrection of Christ.  

(Acts 13:33)"this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, You are my Son, today I have begotten you." (ESV) 

(Acts 13:34)"And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David." (ESV) 

(Acts 13:35)"Therefore he says also in another psalm, You will not let your Holy One see corruption." (ESV) 

(Acts 13:36-37)"For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption." (ESV) 

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (ESV)  

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 the Apostle Paul may have in mind Hosea 6:1-2 and Isaiah 53:10 or he may just mean the entire Old Testament points to Christ.