Mark 14

51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, 52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked."

Hmm....this verse stuck out and seem to appear in the middle of nowhere. It seems very odd and even irrelevant of the whole context. The only connection I can see right off the bat is the contrast it makes with the previous verse, "50 Then they all forsook Him and fled." The people who fled refers to Jesus' disciples, because in Matthew it recorded, "Then all the disciples deserted him and fled" (26:56). However, this particular young man was not mentioned in Matthew or other gospel books.

The connection then seems to be the contrast that there is still a person following Jesus after everyone else deserted Him. However, the latter part of the verse is harder to understand. Why on earth would a regular person on a regular day choose to be naked and just wear a linen cloth? Who were these other young men? Why did they lay hold of the man in linen? Why did the young man leave the linen cloth behind? Why did the young man flee naked? These are interesting questions and could be viewed from a few aspects, literal, symbolic, and spiritual.

I did a little research in regards to the significance of linen cloth in the Jewish tradition. It was worn as regular clothing. However, a more significant role that it plays is in the Jewish burial. There is a special procedure in the way the Jewish prepares bodies for burial. First the washing of the body (can be signified by the woman who anointed Jesus in v. 3), then the wrapping of the body in white linen cloth (which could be signified by this young man, Mark 15:45). Apparently, this young man was not a regular person, and that was not a regular day. If this were the significance of this unusually placed verse, the young man can signify the whole process of Jesus's last days on earth. The young man himself signifying the body of Jesus. The linen cloth thrown on his naked body signifying a body undergoing the ceremonial cutom for burial. Later on, however, he left the linen cloth and was naked, signifying resurrection; no longer a need for the linen cloth, because the body is no longer a body for burial, but a living body.

As far as the other young men were concerned, it would make sense if they were those who came with Judah to capture Jesus. It should not be Jesus' disciples, because they already fled. The young men then literally are the people capturing Jesus. When they saw the young man in linen cloth, they probably were just trying to take care of him to avoid being bothered in what they are doing, arresting Jesus. However, in the symbolic meaning, they can signify the threat the body of Jesus will have to undergo prior to resurrection (leaving behind of the linen cloth). At the end, the young man fled naked. This can signify that when everything is finished, Jesus will be free of threats, and no longer be dead but alive, because he has left behind the linen cloth used for burial.

On a different note, this young man was the only person who followed Jesus after His disciples fled. He wasn't afraid of this group of people who were carrying swords and clubs. Even with the visual danger and threat at hand, he pressed on to follow Jesus. What we can learn from him is a spirit in the persistence of our faith. That despite the danger that is apparently before us, we can still press on to follow Jesus, because Jesus is there. That nothing can deter us away from following Jesus, whatever danger or threat it may be. That even if all the other followers of Jesus, and strong followers at that, were to flee for their lives away from Jesus; we can ignore that and continue to follow Jesus. That we let no one influence us to becoming an impass in following Jesus, not even those who are supposed to be more faithful or spiritual. That we do as Jesus do, not do as what others do.