The Macrostructure of Matthew’s Gospel 195 time and is repeated in 12,1 and 14,1. That God is the origin of the revelation is confirmed in 16,17. Most important is that, in 11,25-27, there is for the first time a split between those who are impervious to the revelation, and those who are receptive to it. This distinction dominates the chapters to follow, where an explanation is given (e.g. 13,10-17). The interim balance in 11,2-30 is followed by a lengthy sequence (12,1–16,12), in which the moves of Jesus form a repeatedly recurring refrain (12,15; 14,13; 15,21). In 4,18–11,1, he was especially active in the towns of Galilee (cf. the adjuncts of place in 4,23; 9,35; 11,1), whereas now he spends more and more of his time in uninhabited areas (33). Already in the first reading, it is apparent that the Parable Discourse is an individual subunit within this lengthy sequence (marked as such by the narrator in 13,53a). This discourse is flanked on two sides by narrative blocks (12,1-50 and 14,1–16,12), both of which start with ejn ejkeivnw/ tw/' kairw/' and which also show many other similarities: Jesus is forced to move due to his increasing conflicts with the Pharisees (mentioned in 12,2.14.24.38 and in 15,1.12; 16,1.6.11- 12), whom he typifies as “a wicked and adulterous generation” (12,39.45 and 16,4). He is disturbed by their words (12,25-45), their traditions (15,1-20), and their teaching (16,1-12), and, at their request for a sign, he refers to the sign of Jonah (12,38-39 and 16,1-4); despite the opposition he tirelessly continues to heal the sick (12,9-14.15.22 and 14,14.35-36; 15,21-28.30-31). That 14,1–16,12 is a coherent subunit is supported by three arguments: a) this section is strongly dominated by words that are related to food (34); b) in this part, frequent mention is made of the crossing of the lake (14,13.22-34; 15,39; 16,5); c) there are two retrospections at the end of 16,1-12: 16,9 refers back to the feeding of the five thousand in 14,13-21, and 16,10 to the feeding of the four thousand in 15,29-39. The sequence thus defined has a concentric structure. Its heart is the Parable Sermon (C), which is surrounded by two short scenes (B: 12,46-50; B’: 13,53-58), that have in common that Jesus’ mother and (33) I.e. 12,1: through the grain fields; 12,15: to an unidentified place; 14,13: to a deserted place; 14,23: up the mountain; 14,25ff: on the sea; 15,29: along the Sea of Galilee ... up the mountain (= in the desert, cf. 15,33). (34) Such words are of course unavoidable in the two feeding narratives (14,13-21; 15,29-39), but they can also be found in 15,1-20; 15,21-28; 16,1-12.