3 From Anointing to Arrest. Some Observations on the Composition of Mark 14:1-52 JOOST SMIT SIBINGA The article investigates the composition of Mark 14:1-52, in particular the words of Jesus, who speaks 14 times, including the four ‘Amen-words’. The analysis is based mainly on the number of syllabes but also on the number of words used in the text. It reveals an ingenious design of conside- rable refinement and complexity. Mark’s composition method appears to be determined by a remarkable sense of order and technical precision and by a high degree of professional literary skill. Keywords: Gospel of Mark, Passion Narrative, Composition Technique, Mark 14:1-11, Mark 14:28, Mark 14:43-52, John 2:1-11,12-22. Introduction 1.1 In an early comment on the gospel of Mark it is stated that he, Mark, who had been Peter’s interpreter, wrote down everything he remembered of what was said and done by the Lord ἀκριβῶς - though not in the right order. The fragment1 deals, it seems, with certain real or imaginary shortcomings; it defends and praises Mark and is clearly apologetic. So it is of limited value to the historian.2 ‘What was said and done by the Lord’, however, is not only a fair and useful general indication of the contents of the gospel.3 The phrase ‘said and done’ also defines a distinction we will find indispensable in the analysis of its style and composition: the 1 Papias, Fragment II, see K. Bihlmeyer, Die Apostolischen Väter ..., I, Tübingen: Mohr, ²1956, p. 136. 2 Cf. U.H.J. Körtner, Papias von Hierapolis (FRLANT 133), Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1983, p. 207: ‘.. völlig wertlos ..’ 3 The concepts word and deed are frequently combined in ancient literature, see H.D. Kemper, Rat und Tat. Studien zur Darstellung eines antithetischen Begriffspaares in der klassischen Periode der griechischen Literatur, Bonn, 1960, and cf. W.C. van Unnik, ‘Eine merkwürdige liturgische Aussage bei Josephus’, in: O. Betz e.a., ed., Josephus-Studien, Fs. O. Michel, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1974, 362-369, p. 366; also: J.T. Fitzger- ald’s review of H. Wayne Merritt, In Word and Deed, Moral Integrity in Paul ... New York: Peter Lang, 1993 (non vidi) in JBL 114 (1995) p. 743-745. Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XXIII - 2010, pp. 3-35 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)