Usually when we think of written things having a structure we think of either the body-paragraph form (i.e. introduction, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, conclusion), or of a formal narrative arch (i.e. beginning, middle, rising action, climax, dénouement). These are good structures for written work but they are not the only way to structure writing.
One alternate form of compositional structure that appears throughout the Bible is the “chiasm” —an arrangement of thought in which the central idea lies in the middle of two sets of ascending and descending ladders. It looks something like this:
Our Gospel lesson from Sunday, Mark 1:21-28, is a great example of a chiasm. It is also a great example of how a chiasm, other than being a nifty piece of literary trivia, can help us understand and teach the Bible —can help us ask of a given part of scripture “what’s this mean?” and “what is the main point?”
If Mark 1:21-28 is structured so that the central idea of the passage comes at the end, then the passage seems to be about Jesus’ fame spreading. But that seems strange given how much seemingly important stuff is in the middle of the section. Reading it as a chiasm highlights what is the ruling force in the lesson. Let’s look at it:
A new “scene” begins in verse 21: “And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.” This is about Jesus’s ministry in the region of Galilee. It pairs with verse 28: “And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.” These two verses will be our “A” ideas.
Verse 22 and verse 27 also pair thematically. They both describe the people’s amazement at Jesus’ authority. These will be our “B” ideas.
Verses 23-24 (as a one set) and verse 26 form another interior pair. Verses 23-24 focus on the man with the unclean spirit and his crying-out. Verse 26 we “hear” again the loud crying-out of the unclean spirit as is exorcised from the man. This is our “C” pair.
Thus we arrive at the thematic center of the section —the heart of the passage. What do we find here in verse 25? The voice of Jesus commanding the unclean spirit “Be silent, and come out of him!” This helps us make sense of the rest of the lesson.
Why does Jesus enter Capernaum? To set the captives free. Just as Moses spoke with the voice of the Lord and told Pharaoh “Let my people go!” (exodus 9:1-7) so now Jesus arrives and brings deliverance.
What differentiates the authority of Jesus from the teaching of the scribes? Jesus carries more than facts, more than a mere knowledge into his teaching. Both the scribes and the unclean spirit “know the right answers.” Jesus, arrives with more than the right answers, he brings the Word of the Lord. He is the Word o the Lord incarnate.
The demon flees under the power of the Voice of Jesus. It is the same voice who will later in Mark’s gospel command the wind and the waves “Be still!” (Mark 4:35-41).
Why does' Jesus’ fame spread throughout the region? Because this new authority is the authority of the Light who comes to his people by way of Galilee, who shines on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death (Is. 9:1-7).
This, then, is what a chaism for Mark 1:21-28 looks like:
The chiasm helps us with “application” too! Where is your darkness? Where are the places of your uncleanness and oppression? Where are you captive to habits, urges, memories, traumas, from which you cannot escape? Where is your life ruled by voices who speak without authority, where have you filled yourself with knowledge that puffs-up but find yourself longing for the power of the Word of the Lord? In that place may the voice of Jesus speak with authority. In those places hasten to the Word of the Lord!