A Dual Reception: Eusebius and the Gospel of Mark, Coombs Clayton

The ending of Marks Gospel is one of the great unsolved mysteries. However, interest in the Markan conclusion is not a modern phenomenon alone. Comments about the different attested endings date back to Eusebiuss Ad Marinum in the fourth century. Responding to the apparent discrepancy between the timing of the resurrection in Matthew and Mark, Eusebius notes one may solve the difficulty in one of two ways: either ignore the passage on the basis of the manuscript evidence or harmonize the two passages. Unfortunately, Eusebiuss comments are all too often viewed through the lens of the modern text-critical endeavor, and for that reason, his intent has largely been missed.