Kata Markon

["Robert Stephen Reid" <rreid AT dbq.edu>]

Joe, 
I am new to the Marklist, but thought I might comment on the closing
question of your remarks. Looking for allusions is central in reading
Mark, but I would argue that his narrative argument (what I have called in
my Book PREACHING MARK, his fictive argument) sometimes requires the
addition of material that otherwise leaves us puzzled. I have offered an
analysis of the symmetry of the parabolic logic on page 121 (Chalice
Press, 1999). I will try to reproduce it in this format below. I have no
idea whether it will come through. My point is simple. Once one grasps the
rhythm of this form of discourse (which is represented rather clumsily by
this extended chiastic analysis), the others who are beaten, etc. is
narratively required by the rhetoric of this way of storytelling. I hope
this comes through.

Bob Reid
University of Dubuque

II    THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD (Mk. 12:1-11)
{12:1}  A  Then he began to speak to them in parables.                  
           1  “A man planted a vineyard,                THE OWNER INITIATES
              2 put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press,          
          and built
a watchtower;                                      1’  then he leased it to 
tenants
              2’and went to another country.                            
{2}       B  1  When the season came, he sent a slave                   
                to the tenants to collect from them his share   SENT
                of the produce of the vineyard.                         
{3}            2  But they seized him, and beat him,            RESPONSE
                  and sent him away empty-handed.                       
{4}          1  And again he sent another slave to them;        SENT
               2  this one they beat over the head and insulted.RESPONSE
{5}          1  Then he sent another,                           SENT
               2  and that one they killed.                     RESPONSE
             1  And so it was with many others;                 SENT 
               2  some they beat, and others they killed.       RESPONSE
{6}       B’  1  He had still one other, a beloved son. SON IDENTIFIED
               2  Finally he sent him to them,                          
                  saying,‘They will respect my son.’    RESPECT SON?
{7}           1’  But those tenants said to one another,                
                  ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him,SON IDENTIFIED
                  and the inheritance will be ours.’    
{8}            2’  So they seized him, killed him,              KILL SON
                   and threw him out of the vineyard.                   
{9}     A’  1  What then will the owner of the vineyard do? WHAT OWNER
              2  He will come and destroy the tenants       WILL DO     
                 and give the vineyard to others.           REVERSAL
{10}        1’  Have you not read this scripture:  
                ‘The stone that the builders rejected 
                has become the cornerstone;     WHAT THE LORD IS DOING
{11}          2’  this was the Lord’s doing, 
                  and it is amazing in our eyes’?”          REVERSAL