32 Joost Smit Sibinga (7) Earlier, in our § 13.1 above, we found patterns of ‘concentric symmetry’ in Mark 14:43-44 as well as in v. 45-46 and v. 51-52. In Mark 14:43 the first twenty-seven words of the story read as 10 + 8 + 9 words; these last 9 words form a central element when they are followed by 8 + «10», the 18 words of v. 44. In a formula: a-b-c-b-a. In a comparable way, the nineteen ( 7 + 3 + 9 ) words of v, 45-46 find a counterpart in the 9 + 3 + 7 = 19 words of v. 51-52, and here too one can hardly miss the suggestion of an inclusio. In the pattern of verbal forms, as shown in Chart 12, one may, following up on our earlier remarks, discern the sequence 2 + 3 + 8 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 8 + 3 + 2, and both the central element (v. 47, four verbal forms) and the similarity, step by step and mirror-wise, between what came before and what comes after, become manifest. The obvious conclusion is again that the narrative was not ‘pieced together’ from various stray pieces of traditional material61, but skilfully and carefully composed as a complete well-structured unit. In Conclusion 15 It is time to return to the full collection of Jesus’ last words spoken among his followers, on which Chart 1 and Chart 2 provide essential information. 15.1.1 Of the fourteen entries, the first four use 196 (= 14²) s. Jesus’ last short speech at the arrest (Mark 14:48b-49, # 14) measures 56 (= 4 x 14) s. and it is framed in v. 48-52 by 70 s. (see § 13.2.4). In the larger context, from the arrival at Gethsemane (Mark 14:32) onwards, N(arrative) uses 197 + 223 = 420 or 15 x 28 s. (see Chart 2). Two of the Amen-sayings, (a) ad (c), are introduced by an ‘Annex’; the size of these two annexes amounts to 112 or 4 x 28 s. (see Chart 1). In Mark 14:13 Jesus orders two of the disciples: ‘Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you’: 8 + 10 + 10 = 28 syllables in Greek. When Jesus predicts that all the disciples will defect him (Mark 14:27), Peter protests in v. 29b: ‘... but I will not’; he says so in 14 syllables. The central phrase of the prayer in Mark 14:36 (# 11) is: παρένεγκε τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ: 14 syllables. How in Gethsemane Jesus returns to the sleeping disciples a third and last time is told in Mark 14:41: 61 So, e.g., and with many other authorities, Morna Hooker, The Gospel according to St. Mark, 1991, p. 351. Of course it cannot and should be denied that Mark used traditional material.