I should have added the saying also exists in a non-chiastic antithetic parallel in John 12:25:
Those who love their life
lose it,
and those who hate their life in this world
will keep it for eternal life.
Literary structure/ chiasms
by peacefulpete 15 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Narkissos
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Midget-Sasquatch
Those were very nice examples from Luke and Matthew Narkissos. Merci beaucoup. I can't remember where I read that bit from now. Just as well, it looks like they were off (or I was if I just remembered it backwards).
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Neo
Yes, those simple, tight chiasms in the sayings material are quite nice. Interesting, if it is the case, that they are better represented in the daughter gospels than in the current text of Mark.
Yeah, that's what it seems. I'm reminded of a Hebrew chiastic structure which is quoted in the Gospels.
Isaiah 6: 9,10 He said, "Go and tell this people: " 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'
(A) 1 Make the heart of this people calloused;
(B) 2 make their ears dull
(C) 3 and close their eyes.
(C) 4 Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
(B) 5 hear with their ears,
(A) 6 understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed."The chiasm is destroyed in Mark 4:12 and in Luke's parallel verse. But Matthew preserves it. Does LXX's influence have anything to do with it? Or are there other reasons, like the simple fact that Matthew has an obvious predilection for OT quotes?
Neo
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peacefulpete
Or................is the primacy of Mark to be questioned???? So many times we find this strange hint that matt may be more original than Mark.
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Neo
Or................is the primacy of Mark to be questioned???? So many times we find this strange hint that matt may be more original than Mark.
Who knows? Joining all the pieces of the puzzle is a neverending task. The weight of the evidence seems to favor Markan precedence, but we may never have the complete picture.
One fact: the Isaiah 6 passage happens to be quoted in all four gospels plus Acts. It's very interesting that the canonical sequence of these books establish a chiastic structure based on the Isaiah 6 quote:
(A) Matthew 13:14-15 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ? ?You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.?
(B) Mark 4:12 so that, ? ?they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!? ?
(C) Luke 8:10 He said, ?The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ? ?though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.?
(B) John 12:40 ?He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn?and I would heal them.?
(A) Acts 28:26-27 ? ?Go to this people and say, ?You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.? For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.?
There is a gradual loss of information when we move from A to B to C. In A, the chiastic structure of Isaiah 6 is preserved. In B, the chiasm is lost, but much information is still retained. And C is but a shadow of the original Isaiah quote; only the "though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand" part is alluded to, with no reference even to the 'turning and healing' ending.
What makes the chiastic structure surprising is its self-reflectivity. This chiasm - based on the book sequence - is itself built around a chiastic OT passage!
Neo
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