163 THE VULNERABLE AUTHORITY AUTHOR OF THE amount of literature is amazing for at least two reasons, firstly because even if it is possible that the literal wording of the sayings is not authentic, there is no doubt that at least the idea expressed in these paradoxes is “jesuanic” 6 ; and secondly, because these verses are at the heart of the gospel, in the section 8,27–10,52, and they express the core of Jesus’ message in Mk. Let us have a closer look at these sayings. 1. The first paradox (8,35) The first paradox (8,35), “probably an independent one originally ” 7, is about losing and finding one’s life: ov gar ean ™ ù ßù uelq thn cyxhn aytoy swsai apolesei aythn. ov dà an ¥ ù ù ߘ˜ ß ¥ ߥ ™ û apolesei thn cyxhn aytoy eneken emoy kaù toy eyaggel¥oy ß ¥ ù ù ß ˜™ ߘ ı ˜ß ı swsei aythn. The verse is part of a larger unit, which we can ¥ ߥ define from 8,34 till 8,38(-9,1). This unit comes right after the first passion and resurrection prediction (8,31). In this passage “[t]he s ay i n g s are bound together by catchwords, similarities or g r a m m a t i c a l structure, and connections of thought” 8 . The construction of the verse itself is an example of antithetic parallelism, which intensifies the paradox. Marc 10 :35-45’ ; on Mark 8,35parr.: U. SCHMIDT, “Zum Paradox vom ‘Verlieren’ und ‘Finden’ des Lebens”, Bib 89 (2008) 329-351. — A similar remark was made by SANTOS, “Paradox”, 452 n. 2 : “The few Marcan scholars who have discussed paradox have treated this issue [= authority and servanthood] in a generally cursory manner”. Thus, e.g., with regard to Mk 8,35parr., SCHMIDT, “Paradox”, 330: 6 “ Trotz diverser zeitgeschichtlicher Parallelen, ist an der Echtheit des jesuanischen Wortes nicht zu zweifeln” (with reference to Bultmann, Crossan, Rebell). Many commentators mention the traditional character of (some of) the sayings. J.D. CROSSAN, The Historical Jesus. The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant (San Francisco, CA 1991) 353: “the original saying, as in the Sayings Gospel Q version, goes back to Jesus”. J.P. MEIER, A Marginal Jew. Rethinking the Historical Jesus (The Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York 1991) II, has only indirect references to this verse and to the other paradoxes. A. YARBRO COLLINS, Mark (Hermeneia ; Minneapolis 2007) 408. 7 R.H. GUNDRY, Mark. A Commentary on His Apology for the Cross 8 (Grand Rapids, MI 1993) 434.