From Anointing to Arrest. Some Observations on the Composition of Mark... 23 ‘the chief priests, scribes and elders’ (v. 43), i.e. the authorities responsible, are in central position.43 The main part, Mark 14: 45-52, uses 95 words. It starts in v. 45-46 (the actual arrest of Jesus) with (7 + 3 + 9 =) 19 words; in v. 51-52 it closes with the incident of a young man who was arrested but escaped, (9 + 3 + 7 =) also 19 words. Again, one notices the formal symmetry, again mirror- wise, and one wonders: does it function as an inclusio? In between, v. 47-50 form a central section of 57 words, of which v. 47 (the High Priest’s slave, 18 words) and v. 50 (they all fled, as Jesus foretold, 5 words) are separate (and also disparate) elements. Nonetheless, these events were made to fit into a pattern of (v. 45-46, v. 47-50, v. 51-52:) 19 + 57 + 19 = 95 words, based presumably on an aliquot part of 19 words. So we are led to conclude that Mark 14:43-52 was designed as a structural unit in two segments, v. 43-44 and v. 45-52. A formula (5 x 9) + (5 x 19) = 5 x 28 = 140 words could reflect and summarize these observations concerning the data recorded in our Chart 8. 13.2.1 We continue our analysis, as Mark’s literary technique requires, by taking account of the text’s size as measured in syllables. We present the evidence in four different forms. Chart 9b offers the full data of Chart 9a in a somewhat reduced form; Charts 9c and 9d serve to study the internal structure and proportions of the story. Chart 9a Mark 14:43-52: The Number of Syllables in Narrative and Discourse Narrative Discourse Sum-total Jesus Judas Mark 14:43 57 - - 57 44 18 - 23 41 | 98 45ab 12 - 2 14 45c 8 - - 8 46 18 - - 18 | 40 47 40 - - 40 | 40 48-49 12 56 - 68 50 11 - - 11 | 79 | 257 51-52 47 - - 47 | 47 | 47 Mark 14:43-52 223 56 25 304 s. 43 Compare the words of Jesus in Mark 12:43-44: the Amen-formula # 8 is followed by 14 + 7 + 14 = 35 words. As in Mark 14:43-44 the pattern of the number of words is 2a + a + 2a = 5a. The first 14 words are said about the poor widow, and so are the last 14 words; the 7 words in the center define the generosity of the rich: ‘out of their abundance’ (RSV).