quartodeciman

scene: Jesus is being arrested in the garden of Gethsemani

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Mark 14:51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:


Mark 14:52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

(KJV)

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That sounds campy! What is it all about?

my dog earl

The first recorded streaker.

Amaleq13

Depends on who you ask but I think you would obtain better responses if this was in BC&H.

The Secret Gospel of Mark contains a passage that some suggest is relevant:

"And they come into Bethany. And a certain woman whose brother had died was there. And, coming, she prostrated herself before Jesus and says to him, 'Son of David, have mercy on me.' But the disciples rebuked her. And Jesus, being angered, went off with her into the garden where the tomb was, and straightway a great cry was heard from the tomb. And going near, Jesus rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. And straightaway, going in where the youth was, he stretched forth his hand and raised him, seizing his hand. But the youth, looking upon him, loved him and began to beseech him that he might be with him. And going out of the tomb, they came into the house of the youth, for he was rich. And after six days Jesus told him what to do, and in the evening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the Kingdom of God. And thence, arising, he returned to the other side of the Jordan." (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/secretmark.html)

Postcard73

Since this thread is concerned with a specific Bible passage, I'm gonna move it to BC&H...

Scott (Postcard73)
GRD Moderator

Koyaanisqatsi

Well, that would certainly explain the mysterious "young man" dressed in robes who was sitting in the tomb at the end of Mark.

UV2003

Here is an interesting view on this young man:

http://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/Jesus_and_Elpenor.html

There is an alternate theory here:

http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/g...14/000480.html

The first takes the view that the gospel stories were influenced by Greek literature, while the second refers it to the old testament. The author of the first link formerly took the view, as seen later in the second link thread, that it was a retelling of an old testament story as well.

Here is some other info:

http://www.bsw.org/project/biblica/bibl79/Ani10.htm

Amos

The conscious mind was rich and Jesus the crucified needed to make sense of it all. Christ came across the Jordan (the divide) so understanding would be gained in the mind of the young man and that is signified with the white robe (from Rev.14:18). Note that learning the mystery of the Kingdom of God is a rational event and therefore happens in the house of the young man who has lots to recognize as significant events in his past. Determination realized is liberation.

The crucified Jesus was the ego of Joseph who was an upright Jew and a wily carpenter who had many richess stored in his mind and these needed to be brought to understanding. That was the reason Magadalene was there because she had always been the handmaiden of Jesus the crucified ("know thou first, I loved the maid I married (Coriolanus IV.v.114-5).

quartodeciman

(from the Old Testament explanation)

Amos (2:16) seems to be saying that the children of Israel will be punished with defeat/rout in their next battle. Fleeing away naked there would mean disarmed and humiliated.

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The improperly-clad young man at Gethsemani is not duplicated in the other gospel accounts.

The young man in the tomb is closely duplicated in Matthew and Luke.

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Mark 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Mark 16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Matthew 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luke 24:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

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The story varies some, but you get the idea that the women are addressed by celestial messenger(s).

The Mark gospel usually has the shortest and cleanest narrative, with the fewest details. That bit at Gethsemani seems to be an exception.

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rlogan

May as well try everything just once before you die.

UV2003 - there was one point in that post that never occurred to me before. If there was a huge stone over the entrance then bringing spices to annoint the body would be a tad inconsistent. Maybe they meant to annoint the handsome and virile roman guards.

UV2003

Good point, but I'm sure apologists have rationalized it away.