Mark 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.