Gustavo Martin, «Procedural Register in the Olivet Discourse: A Functional Linguistic Approach to Mark 13», Vol. 90 (2009) 457-483
I will rely on insights from Halliday’s register theory to explain the Markan Jesus’ use of a functional variety of language I call procedural register. The identification of procedural register in the main section of the Olivet Discourse (vv. 5b-23) will be shown to reveal the rhetorical design of the discourse within a first temporal horizon, of direct relevance for the audience and addressing the disciples’ question (v. 4). The absence of procedural register in vv. 24-27 indicates the opening of a second horizon in the speech, lacking immediate impact for the audience and no longer addressing the disciples’ question.
478 Gustavo Martin
forms of “to see†are realized with oJravw instead, as in 13,26; 14,62,
and 16,7. The same holds true for Matthew and Luke, with one
exception, the quotation of Isaiah in Matt 13,14, which has the future
form of blevpw: ble;ponte" blevyete kai; ouj mh; i[dhte. Thus, Mateos is
correct when he argues in regard to o[yontai, “como en otros pasages
‘ver ’ equivale a conocer†(71). Seeing is for Mark tantamount to
perceiving and understanding, independently of the seeing verb used.
In the Olivet Discourse, the disciples must watch out in response to the
events that will unfold in their near future, which include attempts by
“many†to deceive them. As we pointed out above, in the section made
up of vv. 24-27, human action is no longer required or possible, and the
coming of the Son of Man will be seen, that is, known and understood.
The verb in its Markan context suggest the revealing of that which was
before only partially grasped by disciples, as well as the object of
counterfeiting by false christs.
As we mentioned above, the clause ejpisunavxei tou;" ejklektou;"
aujtou' (v. 27), is the only clause with the Son of Man as agent in an
ergative clause among the 14 Markan Son of Man sayings. That Mark 13
is the context of the Son of Man’s most efficacious activity, gramma-
tically speaking, in the entire gospel is not surprising. In the main section
of the discourse (5b-23), the disciples are given a consistent patient role,
as Jesus predicts they will be, similarly to their master in earlier and later
material, handed over, beaten, and, in some cases killed, in a crescendo
of suffering which culminates in vv. 14ff. In vv. 26-27, however, the
disciples are given a glimpse of final vindication and salvation, but only
in an indeterminate, unknown future, as the Son of Man comes power-
fully and gloriously to take them to himself, in a manner reminiscent of
the coming of God on behalf of His people.
4. The interpretive Key to the Speech: vv. 28-37
In v. 28 Jesus turns again the focus of his speech to his disciples.
The imperative “learn†is the only instance of the verb in Mark, and
underlines the importance of understanding this parable. It also marks
the beginning of a section, as Villota Herrero has shown, where verbs
of knowing predominate (72). The particle dev together with the abrupt
change in scene, characters and topic marks the beginning of the new
section. The colophon o} de; uJmi'n levgw pa'sin levgw grhgopei'te of v. 37
brings the section and the entire speech to its conclusion.
(71) MATEOS, Marcos 13, 360.
(72) VILLOTA HERRERO, Palabras, 27.