Mark 1:21-28 – Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit

  . From here. I’ve turned his D/D’ center into a D/E/D’ center.  My method emphasizes ‘who Jesus is’, which goes along with sections B/B’ where the people are impressed with Jesus’ ‘authority’ – via his teaching. In Mark, Jesus is the Messiah (e.g., Peter’s Confession) and the Son of God (e.g., The Transfiguration).  “The Holy One [...]

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Mark 10:17-31 – A Rich Man and Eternal Life

  . B and B’ are interested.  In B, Jesus lists the final 6 of the ’10 commandments’.  In this list he places the 5th commandment (“Honor your father and mother”) in the 10th (last) position.  I think he does this to give it emphasis.  The commandment is given the final position in a list – a position of importance.  In B’, [...]

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Mark 12:28-34, 35-37 and 38-40 – Jesus and the Scribes

 1    12:28-34:   A    28  And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, B    and recognizing that He had answered them well,  /  asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”   [Me:  A compliment] C    29  Jesus answered,  /  “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;  [...]

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Mark 10:35-41 – James and John’s Request for Greatness

  A    35  And James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Him, B    saying C    to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”  36  And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?“  D    37  And they said to [...]

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Mark 2:1-3:6 – Jesus and 5 Controversies

  The following chiasmus was developed by Joanna Dewey.  Her own full explanation is here. The skinny is this: “The five pericopae appear to be combined in a chiastic pattern according to content:  A, the healing of a paralytic, contains a healing of the resurrection type; B, the eating with tax-collectors and sinners, concerns eating; C, the question [...]

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Mark 1:1-13 – Mark’s Prologue

1  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. A    2  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, a    “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER  [agellos]  BEFORE YOUR FACE,    b    WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; a’    3  THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,    b’    ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF [...]

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Mark 3:20-35 – Turning Society Upside-Down

  This is Mark in chiastic overdrive: _____ A    20  And He came home, and the multitude gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. B    21  And when His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has [...]

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Mark 13:24-27 – Jesus’ Return

  This chiasmus follows the chiasmus just before it – in Mk 13:4-23: “24  “But in those days, after that tribulation, A    1    THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED,        2    AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,        3    25  AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, B    and the powers that are [...]

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Mark 13:4-23 – The Little Apocalypse

  A    4  “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” B    5  And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.  6  “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will [...]

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Mark 5:1-6 – A demoniac meets Jesus

  Here’s the opening verses from Mark’s story of Jesus’ exorcism of a legion of demons from a man who lived among the tombs in the country of the Geresenes:   Mark 5:1-6:  “And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. A     2  And when He had come out of [...]

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