Leithart begins by focusing on several echoes of key words in the Gospel of Mark:
The first is the phrase, "son of God." Mark uses the phrase to introduce the gospel, and though the Father uses the phrase twice to refer to Jesus, and demons recognize him as the son of God, the disciples don't, and even Jesus seems to want this identity not talked about (in scholarship this is referred to as the "messianic secret"). But it comes up again at the end when Christ is crucified, and a Roman centurion confesses that Jesus is the "son of God."
The second is the word, schizo, which in English means to rend, open, or split. When Jesus is baptized, we're told that the heavens are opened and this word is used to describe that rending. It is the same as the word used in the Old Testament to describe the Lord's coming by rending the heavens (Isaiah 64:1; Ps. 18:9) (Leithart 153). The word is also used at the end of the Gospel when the temple veil is rent (15:38). This tearing is also linked to the "son of God" phrase, because at the baptism, the Father speaks of Jesus as his son, and at the tearing of the veil, the centurion speaks of Jesus as the son of God.
Finally, there is a link between the baptism scene and the transfiguration scene. In both, there is a voice from heaven and Jesus is identified by the Father as his beloved son. In both, there is a reference to Elijah. John the Baptist is dressed like Elijah in the baptism scene, and Elijah himself appears at the transfiguration scene, and shortly afterwards, Jesus tells his disciples that John is "Elijah" (9:12-13). Finally, after the transfiguration, Jesus encounters a boy possessed with an unclean spirit. And after the baptism, Jesus encounters the devil in the wilderness.
From these parallels in the Gospel of Mark, Leithart shows us this sketch of the book as a whole:
1:1-8:21 8:22-16:7 (or 20)
A. "Son of God," 1:1 "Christ," 8:29
Baptism Transfiguration
schizo
John "Elijah"
Beloved Son Beloved Son
Encounter with demon Encounter with demon
Befuddlement of disciples Centurion confesses the "son of God"
schizo
From these links between the beginning and the end in Mark, Leithart also suggests there might be a chiasm in the book as a whole:
A Baptism: splitting heavens and "You are My Son"
B Jesus tested in wilderness, 1:12-13
C Sower parable, 4:1-9
D Stilling of storm, 6:45-52
E Peter's confession, 8:27-30
F Prediction concerning passion, 8:31-33
E' Transfiguration, 9:2-10
D' Exorcism of possessed boy, 9:14-29
C' Vineyard Parable, 12:1-11 (key words are parable and fruit)
B' Jesus tested in temple, 12:13-17
A' Death: splitting veil and "This is the Son"
The A section shows the parallel between splitting of the heavens and the splitting of the veil, and also the mutual identification of the Father and the centurion that Jesus is the Son of God.
From here, I'll quote Leithart:
"The "B" sections connect the wilderness with the corrupted temple, and also connect the tempting scribes, Pharisees, and priests to Satan. The parables in the "C" sections provide a "bread" and "wine" pair. Stilling the chaos of the storm (D) is connected with stilling the chaos of demonic possession (D'), and the confession of Peter that Jesus is the Christ (E) is confirmed by the transfiguration (E'). At the center of the whole book is Jesus' first prediction of His death." (155)
Leithart notes that Jesus' prediction of His own suffering and death as a way of explaining what it means to be the "Christ" is at the center in both of these structures, and asks what Mark might be telling us in that? Here is what Leithart writes later on:
"Early on in the gospel, Jesus warns the disciples, demons, and everybody else not to reveal His identity. This is the famous "Markan Messianic secret." Why doesn't Jesus want His disciples and the people who benefit from His ministry talking about Him? The reason is that Jesus has not yet revealed Himself for who He is, the true Son of God who cannot be recognized until the cross. He cannot be seen as Son of God until He is seen as the dying Son of God. He does not want people to recognize Him as the Son of God because of His power. He wants them to see that the Son of God gives Himself for the disciples." (164)
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