Who Was the Naked Boy in Gethsemane? Jesus’ ‘I AM’ Released Resurrection Power

After Jesus received Judas’ kiss of betrayal, He stepped forward and asked the crowd of militia, “…Whom seek ye?” (John 18:4).

They answered Him, “…Jesus of Nazareth…,” and Jesus responded: “…I am he…” (v. 5). Verse 6 says, “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.”

In that moment, Jesus stepped forward to address all the various religious and military forces that had gathered in that space to arrest Him. Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were stepping in to make their arrest, a supernatural power was suddenly released so strong that it literally threw the entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers or more backward and down onto the ground. In the flash of a second, it looked as if an invisible bomb had been detonated. So much explosive strength was released that it knocked all those religious leaders and various types of soldiers flat on their backs. But where did that discharge of power come from, and what released it?

Again, Jesus asked, “Whom seek ye?” (John 18:4), and they responded, “Jesus of Nazareth” (v. 5). As soon as they responded, Jesus answered them, saying, “I am He,” and, immediately, “they went back- ward, and fell to the ground” (v. 6).

Jesus is the Great ‘I AM!’

They were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus answered them, “I am He.” These mighty words come from Greek words that are more accurately translated, “I AM!”

This was not the first time Jesus used this particular phrase to identify Himself. He also used these very words in John 8:58 and John 13:19. In those passages, when Jesus said those particular words, the hearers recognized them as the very words God used to identify Himself when He spoke to Moses on Mount Horeb and said, “I AM THAT I AM!” (See Exodus 3:14.)

For example, we read in John 8:58 that Jesus said, “…Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Those final words in the verse, “I am,” are the very Greek words used in the Old Testament Greek Septuagint that are translated, “I AM!”

We also read in John 13:19 that Jesus said, “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” If you read this verse in the King James Version of the Bible, you will notice that the word “he” is italicized, which means it was supplied by the KJV translators and is not in the original text. The original text simply says, “…That…ye may believe that I AM!” In both of these cited texts, Jesus uses the very words that God used to describe Himself in Exodus 3:14. Therefore, by using this well-known phrase, Jesus was declaring that He was, and is, the Great “I AM” of the Old Testament!

The soldiers who came to arrest Jesus that night probably expected Him to answer, “I am Jesus of Nazareth” — but instead, Jesus remarkably declared “I AM!” In that moment, Jesus made it clear that He was the great “I AM” of the Bible.

Then John 18:6 tells us, “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he [I AM], they went backward, and fell to the ground.” A more accurate rendering of this verse would be: “As soon then as He said to them, ‘I AM,’ they went backward and fell to the ground.”

The words “went backward” come from a Greek word that depicts the Roman soldiers and temple police staggering and stumbling back- ward, as if some force had hit them and forced them backward. The word “fell” means to fall and was often used to depict a person who fell so hard it appeared that he had fallen dead or had fallen like a corpse.

Thus, we know that this massive throng of Roman soldiers and temple police who came to arrest Jesus were suddenly knocked flat by some kind of invisible force. In fact, the verse says they went back- ward and fell “to the ground.”

The words “to the ground” are taken from a word that depicts these soldiers falling abruptly and literally hitting the ground hard. Again, some invisible force unexpectedly, suddenly, and forcefully knocked these troops and temple police flat!

Think about it — religious leaders, 300 to 600 Roman soldiers, and a large number of trained temple police had all come laden with weapons, swords, and clubs to help capture Jesus. But when Jesus said “I AM” — thus, identifying Himself as the “I AM” of the Old Testament — a great blast of God’s power was unleashed, and it was so strong that it literally thrust the troops and police backward, causing them to stagger, wobble, and stumble as they hit the ground hard.

What a shock it must have been for those religious leaders and military men to discover the mere words of Jesus were enough to overwhelm and overpower them. The legendary tales they had heard about Jesus’ supernatural power were correct. He really was strong enough to overcome an army. After all, He was, and still is, the Great “I AM”!

But after Jesus proved He couldn’t be taken by force, He will- fully surrendered to the soldiers because He knew it was a part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind.

It’s important to understand that no one took Jesus. It was His voluntary choice to go with the troops. You see, my friend, the Jesus we serve is powerful! And He was lovingly and willingly intent on offering Himself as the ultimate Sacrifice for the sin of all mankind, and that included you and me.

There is no force strong enough to resist Jesus’ power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, or political force — absolutely nothing has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ! When Jesus — the Great “I AM” — opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground!

So what is your need today? Why not present your needs to Jesus, who is the Great “I AM”? Let Him speak to your heart and direct you to the promises in His Word, and once you see the promise you need for the specific situation you’re facing, pray in agreement with His Word. As you do, you will see the mighty power of God unleashed against the evil forces that have been trying to defy you!

Who Was the Naked Boy in the Garden of Gethsemane?

After Jesus healed the high priest's servant's ear, which Peter had cut off, we are told in Mark 14:51 and 52, “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: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.”

• Who was this young man?

• Why was he following Jesus?

• Why was he naked?

• Why was he draped in a linen cloth instead of wearing normal clothes?

• Why was the Holy Spirit so careful to include this in Mark’s account of the events that night?

• What is the significance of this event?

The key to identifying this young man lies in the “linen cloth” he had lightly draped about his body. The Greek word that is used for this “linen cloth” is used in only one other event in the New Testament — to depict the “linen cloth” in which the body of Jesus was wrapped for burial (see Matthew 27:59, Mark 15:46, and Luke 23:53). Thus, the only reference we have for this kind of cloth in the New Testament is that of a burial shroud used for covering a dead body in a grave.

Indeed, the answer to this naked young man’s identity lies in the cloth he had wrapped around his body. You see, when a body was prepared for Jewish burial, it was washed, made ceremonially clean, and buried naked in a linen cloth exactly like the one described here in the gospel of Mark. Furthermore, the Garden of Gethsemane was situated on the side of the Mount of Olives, and toward the base of that mount is a heavily populated cemetery, with many of its graves today dating back to the time of Jesus.

When Jesus said, “I AM,” the power released was so tremendous that it knocked the soldiers backward, but evidently it also caused a rumbling in the local cemetery! When that blast of power was released, a young boy, draped in a linen burial cloth in accordance with the tradition of that time, crawled out from his tomb — raised from the dead!

The Boy ‘Continuously Followed’ Jesus

The reason this young boy who had crawled out of his grave “followed” Jesus was to get a glimpse of the One who had resurrected him. The word “followed” here means to continuously follow. This tells us that this resurrected young man trailed the soldiers as they took Jesus through the Garden on the way to His trial.

When the soldiers discovered the young man who was following Jesus, they tried to apprehend him. But when they reached out to grab him, he broke free from their grip and fled, leaving the linen cloth in their possession.

Please reflect again on the amazing power that was active at the time of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He later told Pilate, “…Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above…” (John 19:11). Indeed, there was so much power present that no one could have withstood Jesus had He chosen to resist. Jesus was not taken by the will of man; He was delivered by the will of the Father.

Think how marvelous it is that Jesus freely gave His life for us! So much power was at work in Him, even at the time of His arrest, that no one had sufficient power to forcibly take Him. The only reason Jesus was taken was that He chose to willingly lay down His life for you and for me.

In the next chapter, we will see what happened after Jesus demonstrated His phenomenal power and permitted the soldiers to take Him into custody. In a certain sense, it was simply an act or formality so that Jesus could fulfill God’s plan to redeem mankind as the con- summate Lamb led away “to the slaughter” (see Isaiah 53:7). Jesus, who is Lord over all, had already vividly proven that they didn’t have the adequate power to take Him.