Since ancient times, many have speculated on the identity of this young man, proposing: •
James the Just • The
Beloved Disciple •
John Mark •
Lazarus of Bethany • An
antitype of Joseph A later verse in Mark, "And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe," is often connected to the passage by
allegorical readers of (in the words of Howard M. Jackson) the "symbolism school". The naked fugitive has been speculated to originate in a possible Passion narrative that pre-dates the gospel of Mark. In such an early document, anonymity of the fugitive may have protected this individual from official persecution. ==In literature==