Naked man running in the bible. didn't know about a naked man running in the bible.

Man Running Naked? Gospel writer Mark mentions an obscure detail (Mark 14: 51-52): A young man followed Jesus, with nothing but a linen cloth on his body. When the soldiers seized him, he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

What does the passage mean? It's abrupt. The event disrupts the flow to the passion narrative of Jesus.

Jesus had no help in carrying the cross. The disciples abandoned him. The soldiers were taking the opportunity to mock those who followed Jesus. Was Mark communicating a secret message depicting a man dressed in a white robe?
White linen cloth, youth, nakedness, fear, and fleeing. Is the text cryptic?

The young man following Jesus, in the prime of his life between 15-25 years old, was a disciple.

White linen cloth was used for the burial of Jesus. Mark points out a man dressed in white proclaimed the resurrection to the women at the tomb. It's not an angel.

The motif of white cloth expresses transformation from death and the rebirth of humanity. Mark emphasizes the details of the clothing. At the Transfiguration, Jesus' garment became dazzling white, "whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them" (Mark 9:3). The High Priest tore his clothes after listening about the Son of God coming in glory (Mark 14:30,33).

It's mysterious. It is not news reporting – a young man dressed in linen - but the event has a broader significance - with an explicit reference to nakedness.

Mark connects the young man who fled naked away from Jesus to the man wearing a white robe to announce Jesus' resurrection. It's is like a rebirth of humanity that was naked due to sin. The image of a naked man fleeing is replaced with restoration at the tomb (Mark 16:5). The young man is not just resuming his earlier life; his life is now made new.

There is hope for those who follow Jesus. The trajectory may involve failing and fleeing, but there is light at the end of the tunnel – the grace of God will restore you.

Who was the young man? Scholars agree that it was Mark, himself – as no other gospel writers mention it. It like Mark adding his signature in the text.

It's reverse discipleship. Those who left everything to follow Jesus, are now leaving behind even their essential clothing to flee from Jesus. It's a failure of discipleship- to be ashamed of being a follower of Jesus.

The authors wrote for a reason. What was mark hiding in this account of the man fleeing naked?

Almost after three decades of Jesus' death, Mark wrote about what happened in the life of Jesus. He was writing the story of Jesus with a message to the people of his time. It may be cryptic, but it does have theological significance.

After the resurrection, followers of Jesus started to increase. But as persecution against Christians began, the newly baptized began to flee from their faith.

Mark is symbolically telling us that the people fleeing, leaving behind their white linen, are Christians. The white linen is the identity of baptism – a new life in Christ. But people, due to persecution, are giving up their faith identity and fleeing.

"There were three types of people at the trial of Jesus," says Father Noel Menezes, a priest friend of mine. He says that "They are like the Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

We can add, Naked Runners - those who flee from the cross.

"The bad guys shout, "Crucify Him." The good souls say, "He is innocent." And the ugly ones remain silent. "But there is only one truth," Father Noel says – "Jesus is innocent."

We are drawn into the innocent suffering to experience wholeness. People fleeing God may be closer to experience to Him, like the young man in the Gospel of Mark. Amen.

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