“And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” (Mark 14:51,52) Many scholars believe that the young man was John Mark himself. In the ancient times, the authors leave an anonymous information about themselves.
The Upper Room where Lord held the last supper was home of Mary Salome, mother of John Mark. (Acts 12:12) There are two opinions: First is that John Mark left with the Lord Jesus and disciples without their knowledge. Hence, the sweat turning to blood of Jesus was witnessed by Mark. Then the soldiers came to arrest Lord Jesus. Second, is that Judas led the soldiers to Upper Room to arrest, as he had seen him last there. Judas had left in haste and expected Lord Jesus to be still there. But Lord Jesus and disciples left and came to Garden of Gethsemane. Judas assumed they had gone to the Garden of Gethsemane as it was a custom for Lord to go there. (Luke 22:39) John Mark followed the soldiers to Garden of Gethsemane or ran ahead of them to warn Lord Jesus Christ about Judas conspiracy. In a hurry, he just had a ‘linen cloth’ – like having a big shawl or bedspread to cover himself.
This young man was a follower – a disciple of Lord Jesus Christ. Probably, a teenager could have seen Lord Jesus Christ, listened to His teachings, and decided to follow Lord Jesus Christ. Interestingly, he was a distant disciple, though not one among the 12 or the seventy.
When Lord Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled except Peter and John. The prophecy that the shepherd will be stricken, and the sheep will be scattered was fulfilled. (Matthew 26:31) John Mark, probably the youngest also tried to flee but left his garment when a soldier tried to hold him.
Earlier the disciples like Peter left all to follow Jesus. Now they left all including linen garment to flee away.
Do I Follow or Flee Lord Jesus Christ?