Establishing the structure of the analysis unit

1. The story of the dispute provoked by Jesus
2. The story of dispute by those who want to trap Jesus
3. The story of a question or request addressed to Jesus
4. The miracle story
5. The hybrid story: Jesus' word/teaching and miraculous action
6. The warning narrative
7. The story of Jesus' trials and temptations
8. The Beatitudes / Curses
9. Birth announcement story
10. The casuistic narrative
11. The story with a chiasm or Semitic inclusion structure
12. The parable story

Establishing the structure of a story contributes greatly to its understanding. It's all about understanding how the story develops, the sequence of events and ideas. It's about understanding what role the evangelist gives to each sentence or part of a sentence. The criteria we have used to delimit the narrative contribute in part to this structure, since the beginning often serves as an introduction or setting, and the end as a conclusion. There's something unique about every story, but generally speaking, the narrative of an event often contains a chain of actions and reactions. Take, for example, the story of the Magi in Mt 2:1-12.

1. Action of the magi: they go to Jerusalem and ask the Jews about the birth of the King of the Jews.
2. Reaction of Herod: troubled, he gathers information from the chief priests and scribes and asks the magi to inform him when they have found the child king.
3. Reaction of the magi: they act on the information they have received and plan to reply to Herod.
4. Action from heaven: the star shows them the place
5. Reaction of the magi: filled with great joy, they prostrate themselves before the child.

But when a story belongs to a specific literary genre, we can expect it to obey a pre-established structure, which makes it easier to establish the story's internal logic.

Let's consider a number of these types of story or literary genre. Each type has its usual structure. But sometimes, one or other element of this structure is absent. We've enclosed the missing elements in square brackets [].

1. The story of the dispute provoked by Jesus

   A dispute narrative presents a lively discussion or dispute between Jesus and other characters.

   1. Introduction or setting the scene: presentation of place, time or characters
   2. Surprising word or action by Jesus
   3. Audience reaction
   4. [Jesus' response]
   5. [Conclusion]

   Examples :

   Mk 6: 1-6: Jesus teaches in the synagogue of Nazareth

   1. Introduction or setting: place (Nazareth), characters (disciples)
   2. Surprising word or action by Jesus: Jesus teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath
   3. Audience reaction: incomprehension at the wisdom and healings of an ordinary, middle-class man.
   4. Jesus' response: a prophet is despised in his milieu
   5. Conclusion: because of lack of faith, no healing is possible

   Mt 22: 41-46 : Christ and David

   1. Introduction or setting: place (temple), characters (Jesus and the Pharisees)
   2. Surprising word or action by Jesus: How is Christ the son of David?
   3. Audience reaction: no one can answer, and they stop questioning him.

2. The story of dispute by those who want to trap Jesus
   1. Introduction or setting the scene: presentation of the place, time or characters
   2. Presentation of the disputed case
   3. Jesus' position
   4. [Reaction of the audience or disciples]
   5. [Conclusion]

   Table of a number of disputes, indicating which elements of this structure are present.

   Reference	Description	i	ii	iii	iv	v
   Mk 10: 2-9	The question about divorce	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 10: 13-16	Jesus and children	*	*	*		*
   Mk 12: 13-17	Paying tax to Caesar	*	*	*	*
   Mt 16: 1-4	Request for a sign from heaven	*	*	*
   Mt 22: 23-33	Question about the resurrection of the dead	*	*	*	*
   Mt 22: 34-40	Question about the greatest commandment	*	*	*	*	*

   Examples :

   Mk 10: 1-9: The question about divorce

   1. Introduction or setting: the Pharisees and a crowd (characters), east bank of the Jordan in Judea (place)
   2. Presentation of the issue and brief dialogue:
      • Pharisees: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
      • Jesus: "What did Moses command you?"
      • Pharisiees: "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her."
   3. Jesus' position
      • Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you
      • Reference to Gn 1: 27: "God made them male and female"
      • Reference to Gn 2: 24: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife"
      • "What God has joined together, let no one separate"
   4. Reaction of the audience or disciples: at home, the disciples question Jesus
   5. Conclusion
      • Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her
      • and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery

   Mk 12: 13-17: paying tax to Caesar

   1. Setting: some Pharisees and supporters of Herod (characters)
   2. Presentation of the issue and brief dialogue:
      • Jesus: "Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it"
      • Jesus: "Whose head is this and whose title?"
      • Pharisiees and Herodians: "Caesar's"
   3. Jesus' position: "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s"
   4. Reaction of the audience: people are filled with wonder
   The story of a question or request addressed to Jesus

   1. Introduction or setting the scene: presentation of the place, time or characters
   2. Presentation of the question or request
   3. Jesus' response and dialogue with the petitioner
   4. [Final response or conclusion]

   Examples :

   Mk 10: 17-22: riches and the Reign of God

   1. Introduction: somewhere on the road (place), random man (character)
   2. Presentation of request: what to do to obtain eternal life
   3. Jesus' response and dialogue with the petitioner: follow the Ten Commandments, then call on him to sell his possessions and give to the poor
   4. Final answer or conclusion: the man went away sad.

   Lk 12: 13-15: request for division of inheritance

   1. Introduction: someone from the crowd (character)
   2. Presentation of request: “Tell my brother to share our inheritance with me”.
   3. Jesus' response: That's not his job.
   4. Conclusion: A person's life does not depend on his possessions.

   The miracle story

   1. Presentation of the problem
   2. [Request for Jesus' intervention]
   3. Jesus intervenes
   4. Observation of the healing or problem solved
   5. [Reaction of audience or person healed]

   Chart of Jesus' miracles, showing which elements of this structure are present.

   Reference	Description	i	ii	iii	iv	v
   Mk 1: 23-28 ||	The Man with an Unclean Spirit	*		*	*	*
   Mk 1: 29-31 ||	Pierre's mother-in-law	*	*	*	*
   Mk 1: 40-45 ||	The leper	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 2: 1-12 ||	The paralytic	*		*	*	*
   Mk 3: 1-6 ||	The man with a withered hand	*		*	*	*
   Mk 4: 35-41 ||	The stilled storm	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 5: 1-20 ||	Man possessed by demons	*		*	*	*
   Mk 5: 21-24.35-43 ||	Jairus' daughter	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 5: 25-34 ||	The woman suffering from haemorrhage	*			*
   Mk 6: 32-44 ||	Jesus feeds five thousand people	*	*	*	*
   Mk 6: 45-52 ||	Jesus walks on water	*		*	*	*
   Mk 7: 24-30 ||	The Syro-Phoenician's daughter	*	*	*	*
   Mk 7: 31-36	The deaf and dumb	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 8: 1-10 ||	Jesus feeds four thousand people	*		*	*
   Mk 8: 22-26	The blind man of Bethsaida	*	*	*	*	*
   Mk 9: 14-29 ||	The possessed child and his father	*	*	*	*
   Mk 10: 46-52 ||	The blind Bartimaeus	*	*	*	*	*
   Mt 8: 5-13 ||	The centurion's servant	*	*	*	*
   Mt 9: 32-34	The man possessed by a mute demon	*		*	*	*
   Mt 12: 22-23 ||	The man possessed by a deaf and mute demon	*		*	*
   Lc 5: 1-11 ||	Miraculous fishing	*		*	*	*
   Lc 7: 11-17	The young man from Nain	*		*	*	*
   Lc 13: 10-17	The bent woman	*		*	*	*
   Lc 14: 1-6	A man with edema	*		*	*
   Lc 17: 11-19	The ten lepers	*	*	*	*	*
   Jn 2: 1-11	Turning water into wine	*	*	*	*	*
   Jn 5: 1-9	The pool paralytic	*		*	*	*
   Jn 9	The born blind	*		*	*	*
   Jn 11	The raising of Lazarus	*		*	*	*

   Examples :

   Mk 1: 40-45: the leper

   1. Presentation of the problem: a leper
   2. Request for intervention addressed to Jesus: the leper kneels before him and begs him, saying, “If you want, you can cleanse me!”
   3. Jesus' intervention: overwhelmed, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him and said, “I do, be cleansed!”
   4. Observation of healing or problem solved: Immediately, the leprosy left the man and he was cleansed.
   5. Reaction of the audience or the person healed: The man left, but began to tell everyone what had happened to him.

   Jn 2: 1-11: turning water into wine

   1. Presentation of the problem: the wine ran out.
   2. Request for Jesus to intervene: Jesus' mother tells him, “They've run out of wine.”
   3. Jesus intervenes: Jesus tells the servants, “Fill these jars with water... Now draw some of this water and take it to the master of the feast.”
   4. Observation of healing or problem solved: the master of the feast tasted the water turned into wine. He didn't know where the wine had come from, but the servants who had drawn the water did.
   5. Reaction of the audience or the healed person: the master of the feast then called the groom and said to him: “Everyone starts by offering the best wine, then, when the guests are drunk, the worst is served. But you've kept the best wine until now!”

3. The hybrid story: Jesus' word/teaching and miraculous action
   1. Introduction or setting: presentation of the place, time or characters
   2. Part 1: Jesus' speech or teaching
      1. Mention of Jesus' teaching
      2. [Audience reaction]
   3. Part 2: Jesus' miraculous action
      1. Presentation of the situation
      2. Jesus' miraculous action
      3. Result of Jesus' action
   4. [General conclusion: audience reaction]

   Note that in such a hybrid story, Part 2 is linked to Part 1 by illustrating it.

   Example :

   Mk 1: 21-28: Jesus teaches in Capernaum and heals a man

   1. Introduction: Capernaum synagogue (location), Jesus and his disciples (characters)
   2. Part 1: Jesus' teaching
      1. Mention of Jesus' teaching
      2. Audience reaction: they are impressed
   3. Part 2: Jesus' miraculous action
      1. Presentation of the situation: man with an unclean spirit
      2. Jesus' miraculous action: "Be quiet and come out of him!"
      3. Result of Jesus' action: the impure spirit comes out with a loud cry
   4. General conclusion: the fame of Jesus spreads everywhere

   See also Lk 5: 1-11 and Lk 9: 11-17

4. The warning narrative
   1. Introduction or setting the scene: presentation of place, time or characters
   2. Description of faulty attitude
   3. Consequence of this attitude

   Example

   Mk 12: 38-40

   1. Introduction: Jesus teaches in the temple
   2. Description of the faulty attitude: the scribes like to be looked at, greeted, have the places of honor, give the impression of praying a lot, while stealing the widows' property.
   3. Consequence of this attitude: they will be judged more severely

5. The story of Jesus' trials and temptations
   1. Introduction or setting: presentation of place, time or characters
   2. Test 1
      1. Proposal
      2. Jesus' response
   3. Test 2
      1. Proposal
      2. Jesus' response
   4. Test 3
      1. Proposal
      2. Jesus' response
   5. Conclusion

   Example :

   Lk 4: 1-13

   1. Introduction: in the desert (place), for 40 days (time), Jesus and the devil (characters)
   2. Test 1: avoid hunger
      1. Proposal: turning stone into bread
      2. Jesus response: human beings do not live by bread alone
   3. Test 2: obtain the glory and power of the kingdoms
      1. Proposal: bowing down to the devil
      2. Jesus response: God alone can be the object of worship
   4. Test 3: to avoid death
      1. Proposal: throw oneself down from the temple roof
      2. Jesus response: you can't force God to act
   5. Conclusion: the devil goes away to come back later

   See also Mt 4: 1-11

6. The Beatitudes / Curses
   1. Adjective or verb of glorification or denunciation
   2. Description of attitude
   3. [Consequences of this attitude]

   Examples :

   Lk 6: 21

   1. Adjective of glorification: Blessed
   2. Description of attitude: Blessed are you who are hungry now
   3. Consequences: for you will be filled

   Mt 23: 13

   1. Adjective of denunciation: woe
   2. Description of attitude: scribes and Pharisees lock people out of the kingdom of heaven
   3. Consequences of this attitude: they won't enter, and prevent those who want to from entering

   For the expression “blessed”, see Lk 1: 45; 6: 20-23; 10: 23; 11: 27-28; 12: 37-38; 14: 14-15; 23: 29; Mt 5: 3-11; 11: 6; 13: 16; 16: 17; 24: 46; Jn 13: 17; 20: 29

   For the expression “woe”, see Mk 13: 17; 14: 21; Lk 6: 24-26; 10: 13; 11: 42-44,46,47,52; 17: 1; 21: 23-24; Mt 11: 21; 18: 7; 23: 13,15-16,23,25,27,29; 24: 19,24

7. Birth announcement story

   This is the structure used in the Old Testament, and is repeated in Lk 1:26-38 and Mt 1:20-21. On the subject, see the standard structure of birth announcements proposed by R.E. Brown.

   1. The appearance of an angel of the Lord (or appearance of the Lord)
   2. Fear or prostration of the visionary confronted by this supernatural presence
   3. The divine message
      1. The visionary is addressed by name
      2. A qualifying phrase describing the visionary
      3. The visionary is urged not to be afraid
      4. A woman is with child or is about to be with child
      5. She will give birth to the (male) child
      6. The name by which the child is to be called
      7. An etymology interpreting the name
      8. The future accomplishments of the child
   4. An objection by the visionary as to how this can be or a request for a sign
   5. The giving of a sign to reassure the visionary

   See biblical examples for the five steps by R.E. Brown

8. The casuistic narrative

   These are stories that propose a situation covered by religious legislation and suggest the elements of the law that should be applied.

   1. If (protasis) such a situation
   2. Then (apodosis) then the consequence

   Example :

   Mk 10: 11-12;

   1. If (protasis) someone sends his wife away and marries another
   2. Then (apodosis) he commits adultery with the first
   3. If (protasis) a woman sends her husband away and marries another man
   4. Then (apodosis) she commits adultery

   See also Mt 5: 32; 18: 15-17,21; 19: 9

9. The story with a chiasm or Semitic inclusion structure

   This structure is regularly used in the Semitic world, where the various statements are repeated in parallel and symmetrical fashion, like choirs answering each other, so that the end repeats the beginning, sometimes with a single center that is the keystone for interpretation. At its simplest, this structure takes the form A, B, B', A'. Another, slightly more complex form is A, B, C, B', A', where the center has no direct parallel but contains the key to interpreting the whole.

   See example from Mk 8: 34 :

   A If any wish to follow me,
      B let them deny themselves
      B' and take up their cross
   A' and follow me.

   Here's the example of Lk 5:17 - 6:11, which contains a unique center, the key to interpretation.

   A introduction 5: 17: Jesus teaches, the Pharisees and scribes are present
      B healing 5: 18-26: a paralyzed man
         C dispute 5: 27-35: Jesus eats with Levi and the tax collectors
            D two parables 5: 36-39: new and old clothes, new wine and old wineskins
         C' dispute 6: 1-5: the disciples gather ears of corn on the Sabbath
      B' healing 6: 6-10: a man with a paralyzed right hand is healed on the Sabbath
   A' conclusion 6: 11: furious, the scribes and Pharisees discuss how to kill Jesus

   See also Jn 3: 16-18

   A He gave the only son
       B that everyone who believes in him may not perish
       but may have eternal life
           C For God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world
           C' but that the world might be saved through him
       B' Whoever believes in him is not condemned
       But whoever does not believe has already been condemned
   A' for refusing to believe in the name of God's only son

   Another example comes from Jn 18: 28 - 19: 16a.

   Biblical scholars agree that there are seven episodes in this passage which form a chiasm, i.e. where the episodes respond to each other in parallel, but in reverse mode (the last is parallel to the first, the penultimate to the second, etc.).

   1. Outside (18: 28-32) Jews demand death	↓ = ↑	7. Inside (19: 12-16a) Jews obtain death
   2. Inside (18: 33-38a) Pilate and Jesus on kingship	↓ = ↑	6. Inside (19: 9-11) Pilate and Jesus on power
   3. Outside (18: 38b-40) Pilate finds no guilt; choice of Barabbas	↓ = ↑	5. Outside (19: 4-8) Pilate finds no guilt; "Behold the man"
   	→
   4. Inside (19: 1-3) Soldiers scourge Jesus

   Without a doubt, this artistic arrangement is deliberate. Pilate, as the main actor, appears in all the episodes, except for the one in the middle devoted to the violence against Jesus; in the latter case, John changed the tradition that placed this violence after the condemnation of Jesus, to make it the pivot between phase 1 and phase 2.

   The atmosphere between the scenes inside and outside is very different. Inside, Jesus appears as a serene ruler proclaiming his convictions, while Pilate proves unable to recognize the truth. Outside, the Jews try to intimidate Pilate and shout that Jesus must die, revealing their true motivation: not his claim to be king of the Jews, but his claim to be the Son of God.

10. The parable story

    This literary genre presents a particular problem. The distinction between parable, comparison, metaphor and image is very blurred. The problem stems from the fact that the Greek word parabolē is a translation of the Hebrew māšāl, which can mean: comparison, metaphor, object of mockery, song of mockery, motto, axiom, maxim, aphorism, riddle.

    Nevertheless, a number of parabolic stories have the following structure:

    1. Introduction
    2. Parabolic or allegorical narrative
    3. [Misunderstanding of its meaning]
    4. [Explanation of the story's meaning, often by allegorizing the story]
    5. [Audience reaction or dialogue with Jesus]
    6. [Conclusion]

    Here's a table of the main parabolas, showing which elements of this structure are present.

    Reference	Description	i	ii	iii	iv	v	vi
    Mk 4: 3-9,13-20 et ||	The Sower	*	*	*	*		*
    Mk 4: 26-29 et ||	Seed Growing by Itself	*	*
    Mk 4: 30-32 et ||	Mustard Seed	*	*
    Mk 12: 1-11 et ||	Evil Tenants of the Vineyard	*	*			*
    Mt 13: 24-30,36,43	Wheat and Weeds	*	*	*	*		*
    Mt 13: 34-36	Treasure Hidden in the Field and the Pearl	*	*		*		*
    Mt 13: 37-40	Fish Net	*	*		*		*
    Mt 18: 12-14 || Lk 15: 4-7	Lost Sheep	*	*
    Mt 18: 23-35	Le débiteur impitoyable	*	*				*
    Mt 20: 1-16	Workers in the Vineyard	*	*				*
    Mt 21: 28-32	Two Sons	*	*			*	*
    Mt 22: 1-10 || Lk 14: 16-24	The Wedding Feast	*	*
    Mt 22: 11-14	Guest without a Wedding Garment		*				*
    Mt 25: 1-13	Ten Virgins	*	*				*
    Mt 25: 14-30 || Lk 19: 12-27	Talents (Pounds)	*	*
    Lk 10: 29-37	Good Samaritan	*	*			*	*
    Lk 11: 5-8	Rich Fool	*	*				*
    Lk 13: 6-9	Barren Fig Tree	*	*
    Lk 15: 8-10	Lost Coin	*	*				*
    Lk 15: 11-32	Prodigal Son	*	*
    Lk 16: 1-8	Dishonest Steward	*	*				*
    Lk 16: 19-31	Rich Man and Lazarus	*	*
    Lk 18: 1-8	Widow and Unjust Judge	*	*				*
    Lk 18: 9-14	Pharisee and Tax Collector	*	*				*
    Lk 10: 1-21	The parable of the good shepherd	*	*	*	*	*

    Examples :

    Mk 4: 3-9,13-20 : the Sower

    1. Introduction: sitting in a boat (place), Jesus, a crowd (characters)
    2. Parabolic or allegorical story: “Listen! The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell by the wayside...”.
    3. Misunderstanding of its meaning: When Jesus was away from the crowd, those around him with the twelve disciples questioned him about the parables.
    4. Explanation of the story's meaning, often allegorizing it: The sower = the word of God, the seed by the wayside = Satan who takes away what is sown, etc.

    Mt 13: 24-30,36,43: Wheat and Weeds

    1. Introduction: Jesus tells another parable... the kingdom is like...
    2. A parabolic or allegorical story: Someone had sown good seed in his field. One night, while everyone was asleep...
    3. Misunderstanding of its meaning: At home, his disciples say, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
    4. Explanation of the story's meaning, often by allegorizing the story: sower = Son of man, field = world, etc.
    5. [Audience reaction or dialogue with Jesus]: Nil
    6. Conclusion: people who are faithful to God will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. He who has ears, let him hear!

    Jn 10: 1-21: The parable of the good shepherd

    1. Introduction: Pharisees (characters), after the healing of the born-blind man (moment), Jesus declares to them in truth
    2. Parabolic or allegorical story: “He who enters the sheep pen without going through the gate...”.
    3. Misunderstanding of its meaning: his listeners did not understand what he was telling them.
    4. Explanation of the story's meaning, often by allegorizing the story: gate = Jesus, thieves = those who came before him, etc.
    5. Audience reaction or dialogue with Jesus: The Jews were divided again because of these words. Many of them said, “He's demon-possessed! He's crazy! Why are you listening to him?” Others replied, “A demon-possessed person wouldn't talk like that. Is a demon capable of opening the eyes of the blind?”