Mark 14:52
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
καταλιπὼν
he left
G2641
καταλιπὼν
he left
Strong's:
G2641
Word #:
3 of 9
to leave down, i.e., behind; by implication, to abandon, have remaining
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
σινδόνα
the linen cloth
G4616
σινδόνα
the linen cloth
Strong's:
G4616
Word #:
5 of 9
byssos, i.e., bleached linen (the cloth or a garment of it)
ἔφυγεν
and fled
G5343
ἔφυγεν
and fled
Strong's:
G5343
Word #:
7 of 9
to run away (literally or figuratively); by implication, to shun; by analogy, to vanish
Historical Context
Public nakedness brought extreme shame in first-century Jewish culture. That the young man chose such humiliation over capture demonstrates the arrest's terror. Yet this shameful flight would be transformed if Mark later became the Gospel writer who served Paul and Peter, eventually facing martyrdom according to church tradition. The naked deserter became a clothed confessor.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this young man's shameful escape contrast with Jesus' dignified submission to arrest?
- What might the symbolism of leaving behind the linen cloth teach about counting the cost of discipleship?
- If this was Mark, how does his transformation from naked deserter to Gospel writer encourage your own journey from spiritual failure to faithful service?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. The young man escapes by abandoning his garment, fleeing γυμνός (gymnos, "naked/unclothed"). This vivid image mirrors the disciples' desertion—all abandon Jesus, some literally leaving behind even their dignity. The verb φεύγω (pheugō, "fled") echoes verse 50, reinforcing the theme of total abandonment.
Some interpreters see symbolic meaning: the linen cloth (sindōn) foreshadows Jesus' burial shroud (15:46); the young man's escape by leaving it behind prefigures resurrection, when Jesus would leave His grave clothes behind (John 20:6-7). The naked flight also recalls Genesis 3:10—humanity fleeing God's presence in shame. Yet Christ would soon be stripped naked (15:24) so that shame-fleeing humanity could be clothed in righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). He became naked so we need not flee unclothed.