Mark 14:52

Mar 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.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 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.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 52. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.] It has often been intimated, by the inhabitants of India, that a European in strait clothes must be in great danger when his clothes take fire. From their loose clothing they can suddenly disengage themselves. When two Hindoos are engaged in a violent quarrel, and one seizes the clothing of the other, often the latter will leave his clothes in the hands of his opponent, and flee away naked. This seems to have been the case with the person mentioned above. See WARD'S Customs.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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. 1Sa_19:24; Joh_21:7; Virg. Georg. i. 299.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the chief priests, and all the council,.... Especially the former, who were of all most busy and active in this matter:

sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; on which they were determined, right or wrong; in this they went contrary to one of their own canons, which runs thus (k):

"in pecuniary causes, they begin either for absolution, or condemnation; but in capital causes, they begin for absolution, and do not begin for condemnation.''

That is, they begun with such evidences as tended to acquit a man, and not with such as served to condemn him; whereas this court was only seeking for such evidence to begin with, that they might condemn Jesus to death:

and found none; that would answer their purpose; See Gill on Mat 26:59.

(k) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Ver. 52. And there followed him a certain young man] That this was St John, Calvin counts a fancy. He might be one well affected to Christ, who, bearing the noise, came to see the news, and hardly escaped with the skin of his teeth; such is the rudeness and rage of persecutors.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

52. Left the linen cloth — As they grasp the cloth to apprehend him, he let go the cloth and escaped. Naked — It may be that the aba was his only article of dress. Dr. Thomson (vol. i, p. 500) speaks of the very poor who sleep in their aba, or outer garment, and have no other “raiment for their skin.” But the word rendered here naked often signifies undressed, that is, clad in the under-garments alone. At any rate, it is clear, not only from his following Jesus, but also from their attempt to apprehend him, that he was not only a friend, but a known friend of the Saviour. It is, therefore, almost a demonstration that Mark here narrates how nearly he himself came to being apprehended with Jesus.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

52. καταλιπών. Often used of leaving behind (Mar 12:19; Mar 12:21), or abandoning completely (Mar 10:7; Luk 5:28). In N.T. this compound is far more freq. than λείπω. All these minute details show that, if Mk is not giving his own experiences, he has got information from one who was there. That Mt. and Lk. should omit this incident is natural. That a later editor has inserted it in Mk is very improbable. What would be the object of such insertion? If the young man was Mark, or some one whom he knew very well, we have a reasonable explanation of its presence in this Gospel.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

52. καὶ κρατοῦσιν αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ καταλιπὼν τὴν σινδόνα γυμνὸς ἔφυγεν—and they seize him; but he, having left the linen cloth, fled naked.

Omit οἱ νεανίσκοι, the young men, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BC*DLΔ, mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg. Memph. Pesh. Omit ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, from them, Tisch. Treg. (Treg. marg.) WH. RV. א BCL, two mss. Lat. Vet. Egyptt. Pesh.

JESUS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIM

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.