MARK'S STRONG MAN LOGION AS MISE EN ABYME

The article argues for identifying the strong man in the Mark 3:27 logion with Jesus. This interpretation is consistent with the logion's narrative role, and resolves the narrative tension between Satan standing and Satan fallen. Using literary and structural approaches, the article begins with a discussion of mise en abyme, shows the importance of structure, and analyzes the family/Beelzebul intercalation. It demonstrates the circular narrative structure, and shows that the intercalation is narratomimetic: writing about and performing binding. The strong man logion is a mise en abyme that reflects the story and the narrative of the intercalation, and the Gospel of Mark.