30 Joost Smit Sibinga Chart 10b. Mark 14:26-52: The Number of Verbal Forms. Narrative Discourse Sum-total Mark 14:26-36 20 20 40 37-52 40 25 65 Mark 14:26-52 60 45 105 verbal forms Chart 2 divided the section Mark 14:1-52 at 14:25/26, where Jesus and the disciples leave for the Mount of Olives. Charts 10a and 10b offer a survey of the second half, i.e. v. 26-52. Obviously, these pages were designed as one large, balanced and well-connected composition. At least four observations are relevant. (a) It uses a sum-total of 105 verbal forms, divided over N(arrative) and D(iscourse) into 60 (= 4 x 15) + 45 (= 3 x 15). (b) On the evidence of Chart 10b the full number of 105 verbal forms divides into 40 + 65 at v. 36/37. This conforms to the golden ratio: using Fibonacci numbers one finds the approximate formula 8 : 13 = 13 : 21. (c) The distribution of verbal forms over N and D in Mark 14:37-52, 40 + 25 = 65 forms, is in accordance with the earlier members of Fibonacci’s series 5 - 8 - 13: the golden ratio again.58 (d) The forty verbal forms of Mark 14:26-36 are evenly distributed over N(arrative) and D(iscourse)59. In addition one could point out the similarity between the design of Mark 14:26-31 (N + D = 7 + 13 verbal forms) and of v. 32-36 (N + D = 13 + 7 forms). Comparing Chart 10a with 10b, one suspects that a division at v. 36/37, that is: after Jesus’ (first) prayer to the Father, of which the words are reported, is at least as significant as the more obvious ones - that is: obvious to the modern reader - at v. 31/32 and at v. 42/43. The importance of the prayer as reported in v. 36, it would seem, should not be underrated. 14.3 We tabulate the evidence for the narrative of the arrest of Jesus in more detail. Chart 11. Mark 14:43-52: The Number of Verbal Forms. Narrative Discourse Sum-total Mark 14:43 2 - 2 44 3 4 7| 9 45 4 - 4 58 Compare the number of syllables in Mark 14:33-34: N + D = 40 + 25 = 65 s. 59 In Mark 14:35-36 one counts: N + D = 20 + 20 = 40 words.