What is a Chiastic Structure ?
The Chiastic structure is a way of writing in which specific parts are emphasized in different ways. For example, the diagram below shows the Chiastic Structure of Mark's gospel which we will be closely examining.
1. The Wilderness (1:1-15)
2. Galilee (1:16-8:21)
3. The Way (8:22-11:11)
4. Jerusalem (11:12-14:52)
5. The Tomb (14:53-16:20)
The similarities between The Wilderness and The Tomb
Lets look at the Wilderness first. Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan and was then sent into the wilderness for forty days where he was tempted by Satan. Now lets compare this was The Tomb. The Tomb is basically about Jesus rising on the third day post death. His Resurrection. Now what do these have in common? Well Jesus in both The Wilderness and The Tomb showed signs of Purification and replenishment. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John, he was being purified and free from all sin. And when he rose in the Tomb, he was resurrecting and his soul was replenished and new.
The contrast between Galilee and Jerusalem
In Galilee, Jesus is portrayed as the son of God. He is a divine being and can perform miracles. Surely unlike the average human being. Unlike Jerusalem, where he is depicted as an average but wise human being. He does what any other man does, he appears in the body and flesh of a human being. So the two definitely contrast in terms of being divine and being human.
The Way
This holds the centre spot of the gospel and this is not by coincidence. The Way holds the main ideas of the whole gospel and explores essentially everything covered throughout the gospel. The Way could be interpreted in different ways, however you can see that here Jesus is shown as a human being, yet divine. He still performs miracles and cures ill people. He is the son of God. This is shown in Galilee and Jerusalem also.