An Investigation of a Cyclic Pattern in Mark 4:35–8:21 and Its Theological Significance

Abstract

This article explores the narrative structure of Mark 4:35–8:21 based on geographical arrangement, literary parallelism, and boat and bread motifs, identifying two cycles (4:35–6:44 and 6:45–8:10) and a conclusion (8:11–21), and presents theological implications of its cyclic structure. The structure of Mark 4–8 seems to be loose in its arrangement of episodes and geographical descriptions. These problems, however, are caused not by Mark's arbitrary collection of sources but by his literary techniques and theological purposes. My proposed structure is based on geographical distinctions; it focuses mainly on tracing Jesus’ geographical movement composed by Mark's literary technique and motifs. In the former cycle, Jesus’ ministry was mostly for the Jews; in the latter cycle, for the Gentiles. A conclusion manifests Jesus as the mighty Savior of God's people. In a Christological view, Jesus’ missional (geographical) movement between west (Jewish territory) and east (Gentile territory) demonstrates his identity as the deliverer, healer, and feeder of both the Jews and the Gentles, regardless of their ethnicity.