Why do bibles have section headings?

Today I'm wondering "Why on earth do we have section headings in our bibles?" In the gospels, at least, all they do is summarise the passage to help us find a passage that we're looking for.

 

I think they could be doing much more.

 

Here are the NIV headings from Mark 12:

 

The Parable of the Tenants

Paying Taxes to Caesar

Marriage at the Resurrection

The Greatest Commandment

Whose Son Is the Christ

The Widow's Offering

 

These headings only name one key thing from the section. For example, "the parable of the tenants". Yes, it's a parable (but that's pretty obvious) and it has some tenants in it (again obvious). What have I learned from reading the heading that I wouldn't from a quick perusal of the story itself? Nothing. This could be said for most of the headings.

 

These headings don't give us any sense of how the drama in Mark is unfolding. How does this section progress the story Mark is telling? Why did Mark include it?

 

As new Christians, or those who are unfamiliar with Christianity read the Gospels we have a great opportunity to explain things to them in the sections headings. They could be like mini-commentaries, helping us interpret what we read. It's an opportunity that the major translations are missing at the moment.

 

Here are my proposed headings for Mark 12 – lets see how they strike you.

 

Jesus foretells judgement on religious leaders	(Parable of the tenants)
Jesus is challenged on his allegiance	(Paying taxes to Caesar)
Jesus is challenged on the resurrection	(Marriage at the resurrection)
A genuine question	(The greatest commandment)
Jesus challenges the scribes on the identity of the Messiah	(Whose son is the Christ)
God's values (I would merge vv38-44 as one section with two contrasting pericopes)	(The widow's offering)

 

In this chapter, Jesus is under intense opposition in Jerusalem from both the Jewish and Roman leaders. Section headings should indicate this, because these sorts of things are not obvious to a person who is unfamiliar with the cultural and political environment at the time.

 

Here are some functions that headings could serve if we thought about them a little more: 

1. To help readers understand the meaning (significance) of the passage. (Ideational meaning)
2. To help readers understand the place of the narrative within the book. (Textual meaning)
3. To help readers understand the emotive force of the passage. (Affectual meaning)
4. Lastly, (and least importantly) to summarise what's in the passage so readers can find their place. (Simple summary)

(See here for my explanation of ideational, textual and affectual meaning.)

 

Here's an idea for a Bible study activity: how about re-writing the section headings for the passage you've just studied.