5 - Transitional passages and topographical notices

Summary

There remains one further element in the narrative of the Ministry to be examined, namely, the connecting links between one complete section of narrative and the next. In the Synoptic Gospels it has long been observed that throughout the part which precedes the Passion narrative the separate pericopae are set in a ‘framework’ made up of such transitional passages, which provide some measure of continuity and build up a general background of reference. In Matthew and Luke this framework has been much obscured by efforts to secure a smoother flow of narrative, in which the joins in the fabric shall be less conspicuous. In Mark, where there has been less of this smoothing out, the framework material has been shown to consist mainly of the following elements: (a) ‘Generalizing summaries’ (Sammelberichte), giving an account of no particular incident, but of the general features of a whole period, long or short, in the course of the Ministry. These Sammelberichte are readily identified, in distinction from the pericopae which describe particular incidents, by the fact that the verbs are predominantly in the tense of continuous or habitual action (present or imperfect) instead of the aorist of momentary action. (b) Topographical data, indicating the field of the Ministry at a given period. These are not always easily distinguished from the indication of place which occasionally opens a pericopé, but undoubtedly they occur without connection with the report of any individual incident.