Mk 1:1 and the debate on a ‘Markan prologue’ 97 specifically. And in order to follow the terminology of literary sciences precisely, we should definitely not understand any of these terms as equivalent to ‘prologue’. (3) Besides this, we should question the usual attempts of subdividing Mk 1 into 1:1-13/15. Four observations seem to be relevant here. Firstly, the scholarly disagreement over whether Mk 1 should be subdivided after 1:13 or after 1:1540 already indicates that both verses do not necessarily function as subdividing markers: There is no narratological, semantic or syntactic shift visible between Mk 1:13 and 1:14 or between Mk 1:15 and 1:16 that would legitimate to separate Mk 1:1-13/15 from the rest of the Gospel narrative. These verses are obviously already part of the Markan narratio (Mk 1:4-16:8). Secondly: There is, however, a shift vis- ible between Mk 1:3 and 1:4. In most cases, this shift is overlooked: It is already in Mk 1:4 where the actual narrative part of the Markan Gospel is opened up. Evidence for this interpretation can also be found in the early reception history of the Markan Gospel, i.e. in “Textgeschichte” viz. textual criticism of Mk 1:441 as well as of Mk 1:1442. Thus, the Markan introductory part is only limited to Mk 1:1-3. Thirdly: Although Dormeyer’s focus on a certain diptychal structure43 in Mk 1 concerning the portrayal of John the Baptist and Jesus from Nazareth is correct44, his valuation of its literary character as a ‘pro- logue’ is not convincing: To connect the ‘diptychal structure’ in Mk 1 with a certain literary function of such a ‘Markan prologue’, means to limit it to the introductory part in ch. 1. The parallelisms in between John’s and Jesus’ life and mission, however, are not limited to chapter 1, but continue 40 See above. 41 The ‘Textgeschichte’ gives an interesting insight in the interpretation of Mk 1:4 as well. Codex Sinaiticus reads – as B. Weiss, Kritisch Exegetisches Handbuch über die Evan- gelien Markus und Lukas. Sechste Auflage (KEK; Göttingen 1878) 16 note *, indicates: kai egeneto. Cf. Novum Testamentum Sinaiticus sive Novum Testamentum cum Epistula Barnabae et Fragmentis Pastoris Ex Codice Sinaitico, ed. A. F. C. Tischendorf (Leipzig 1863) 18* (kai ca improbavit). Cf. Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus. The New Testament, The Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. Preserved in the Imperial Library of St. Petersburg. Now Reproduced in Facsimile From Photographs by H. and K. Lake (Oxford 1911) 18*. – My colleague Jan Dochhorn (Aarhus) has to be thanked for this observation. 42 The manuscripts B, D, 2427, a, ff2, and bomss include kai before meta. Thus, they understand 1:14 in a paratactical continuity to the previous passages. – Cf. to this also: J. W. Voelz, “The Greek of the Codex Vaticanus in the Second Gospel and Marcan Greek”, NT 47 (2005) 209-249, 212. 43 This structure is of course much more developed in the Lukan Gospel narrative (Lk 1-2). 44 See above.