Mark 14:52

And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:43-52 Because Christ appeared not as a temporal prince, but preached repentance, reformation, and a holy life, and directed men's thoughts, and affections, and aims to another world, therefore the Jewish rulers sought to destroy him. Peter wounded one of the band. It is easier to fight for Christ than to die for him. But there is a great difference between faulty disciples and hypocrites. The latter rashly and without thought call Christ Master, and express great affection for him, yet betray him to his enemies. Thus they hasten their own destruction.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A certain young man - Who this was we have no means of determining, but it seems not improbable that he may have been the owner of the garden, and that he may have had an understanding with Jesus that he should visit it for retirement when he withdrew from the city. That he was not one of the apostles is clear. It is probable that be was roused from sleep by the noise made by the rabble, and came to render any aid in his power in quelling the disturbance. It is not known why this circumstance is recorded by Mark. It is omitted by all the other evangelists. It may have been recorded to show that the conspirators had instructions to take the "apostles" as well as Jesus, and supposing him to be one of them, they laid hold of him to take him before the high priest; or it "may" have been recorded in order to place his conduct in strong and honorable contrast with the timidity and fear of the disciples, who had all fled. Compare the notes at Matthew 26:56.

A linen cloth cast about his naked body - He was roused from sleep, and probably threw around him, in his haste, what was most convenient. It was common to sleep in linen bed-clothes, and he seized a part of the clothes and hastily threw it round him.

The young men - The Roman soldiers. They were called "young men" because they were made up chiefly of youth. This was a Jewish mode of speaking. See Genesis 14:24; 2 Samuel 2:14; Isaiah 13:18.

Laid hold on him - Supposing him to be one of the apostles.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 14:43-52. Betrayal and Apprehension of Jesus—Flight of His Disciples. ( = Mt 26:47-56; Lu 22:47-53; Joh 18:1-12).

See on [1508]Joh 18:1-12.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 14:51"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he left the linen cloth,.... "In their hands", so the Persic version renders it; just as Joseph left his garment in the hands of his mistress, Genesis 39:12;

and fled from them naked; to the house from whence he came. The Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, leave out the words "from them".

Geneva Study Bible

And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 14:52. γυμνὸς ἔφ., fled naked, in the literal sense, whereon Bengel remarks: “on a night not without a moon; fear conquers shame in great danger”. (A few years ago a young wife chased a thief, who had been stealing her wedding presents, through the streets of Glasgow, in the early hours of the morning, in her night-gown; not without success. Her husband modestly stayed behind to put on his clothes.)—Who was this young man? Mk. the evangelist, say many, arguing: the story was of no interest to any one but the hero of it, therefore the hero was the teller of the tale. A good argument, unless a motive can be assigned for the insertion of the narrative other than merely personal interest. Schanz suggests a desire to exhibit in a concrete instance the danger of the situation, and the ferocity of the enemies of Jesus. On the whole one feels inclined to acquiesce in the judgment of Hahn, quoted by Holtz., H. C., that in this curious incident we have “the monogram of the painter (Mk.) in a dark corner of the picture”. Brandt, however (Die Ev. Gesch., p. 28), dissents from this view.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

52. naked] This need not imply that he was absolutely naked. It may mean, like the Latin nudus, “with only the under robe on.” Comp. 1 Samuel 19:24; John 21:7; Virg. Georg. i. 299.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 14:52. Γυμνὸς ἔφυγεν, fled naked) He fled, the night not being without the light of the moon: fear overcame shame, in the case of such great danger.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 52. - But he left the linen cloth, and fled naked. This somewhat ignominious flight is characteristic of what we know of St. Mark. It shows how great was the panic in reference to Christ, and how great was the hatred of the Jews against him, that they endeavored to seize a young man who was merely following with him. It shows also how readily our Lord's enemies would have seized his own disciples if they had not taken refuge in flight. Mark 14:52