And the young man who followed Jesus having a linen cloth cast about him, when he was assailed by the servants had to throw away his earthly covering and to flee naked. [Letter LXXI]
The context is very similar to the Alexandrian ideas we witnessed in Clement viz. the young man is like the prophets who had to throw off his linen garments to be one with God.
It is also witnessed by Gregory Nazianzus (d 389 or 390 CE) around the same time:
Was He betrayed with a kiss? He reproves with a kiss, but smites not. Is he suddenly arrested? He reproaches indeed, but follows; and if through zeal thou cuttest off the ear of Malchus with the sword, He will be angry, and will restore it. And if one flee in a linen sheet, he will defend him. [Gregory Nazianzen Oration XXXIII, 14]
Epiphanius interestingly also witnesses the material but says that the neaniskos is James. Allen's overview makes clear that all the references to Mark 14:51 - 52 occur well after Nicaea - the list includes Ambrose (Commentary on the Twelve Psalms) who identifies John as the neaniskos as does Aquinas (Catena Aurea), Gregory the Great (Morals on the Book of Job) while Theophylact (Aquinas Cantena Aurea, II, 299) and Victor (Possinus, Catena Graecorum) was a servant of the house of John Mark who had been disturbed in his sleep by the arrest.
The specific identification of Mark as the neaniskos apparently comes from a 13th century Coptic manuscript written of the Boharic dialect (MSS E1) where an Arabic footnote says that this character is reported as both 'Jacob the son of Joseph' and 'Mark the Evangelist.'
This is simply astounding. Is there a more intriguing passage in the whole gospel? Scholars wrangle over the authenticity of the longer ending of Mark when there are clear witnesses from the second century. This parallel passage to LGM 1 (perhaps constructed to make the baptism appear in a later place) is far more intriguing having no witnesses until such a late period.
Also it should be noted that around the time of Jerome the first details about the martyrdom of Mark in Alexandria become developed.
If you are interested in reading how this observation fits within my greater understanding of the workings of Secret Mark WITHIN the contemporary Alexandrian Church please go here
If you want to read more about how Alexandrian Christianity was rooted in the Jewish traditions of Alexandria, Philo of Alexandria and more feel free to purchase my new book here
