From Anointing to Arrest. Some Observations on the Composition of Mark... 9 ἡ δὲ σάρξ ἀσθενής. We again take notice of an ellipsis of the verb ‘to be’, but also of the fact that these two cola use 7 + 6 = 13 syllables; the obvious division is: v. 37c-38b (to Peter c.s.), v. 38cd (a general truth). So from Σίμων καθεύδεις; (v. 37cd) onwards one counts (5 + 12 + 9 + 10) + (7 + 6) or 36 + 13 = 49 syllables - as noted above: a square (a²), the gnomon, and the next square (a + 1)². 7.2 Chart 1 and Chart 2 bear out the facts that (α’) in Mark 14:22b-25 Jesus speaks 11 + 23 + 51 or 34 + 51 = 85 s. - (see (5), (c-6); (β’) in Mark 14:27b-30b the size of his words is 53 + 32 = 85 s. - see (7) and (d-8); (γ’) in Mark 14:36b-e (11) and 37c-38 (12) Jesus addresses first the Father and then Peter in 36 + 49 = 85 s.19 Moreover, (δ’), it seems the Amen-saying in Mark 14:25 (c) is adequately presented as follows: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι 8 οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ πίω ἐκ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου 17 ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης 9| 17 ὅταν αὐτὸ πίνω καινὸν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. 17 | 51 s. In this saying, a segment of 51 syllables, two cola of 17 syllables each appear to stand out. Unless this is entirely fortuitous, one has to conclude that the aliquot part of seventeen syllables is among its constituents. This conclusion also suits, in different ways, the observations under (α’), (β’) and (γ’). One may or may not have to add, (ε’), the case of the saying marked (5) and its close parallel # (6), the annex of (c): Mark 14:22b:λάβετε˙ τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου. 3 + 8 = 11 24b:τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης 13 τὸ ἐκχυννόμενον ὑπὲρ πολλῶν. 10 | 23 | 34 s. Perhaps also (ς’): in Mark 14:27-28, see Chart 1, (7), Jesus’ predicts the desertion of all the disciples and adduces as its prooftext Zech 13:7. After this (non-LXX) quotation he continues with the promise: ‘.. I will go ahead of you into Galilee’ (Mark 14:28, NIV). In the frame of the quotation one notices the use of the ‘golden section’: it follows (part of) the Fibonacci series, ... 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 ... 19 In the geometrical mathematics of the ancients, the sum of two squares of unequal size, a² + b², is equal to two times the smaller square plus the gnomon, consisting of {(a - b) x a} + {(a - b) x b} = (a² - ab) + (ab - b²) = a² - b². In this case: 6² + 7² = (2 x 6²) + (7² - 6²) = 72 + 13 = 85.