Mark 6:31

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. AND HE SAID, COME YE YOURSELVES APART INTO A DESERT PLACE, AND REST A WHILE: FOR THERE WERE MANY COMING AND GOING, AND THEY HAD NO LEISURE SO MUCH AS TO EAT. Observe the various reasons He had for crossing to the other side. First, Matthew () says, that "when Jesus heard" of the murder of His faithful forerunner-from those attached disciples of his who had taken up his body and laid it in a tomb (see the note at ) - "He departed by ship into a desert place apart;" either to avoid some apprehended consequences to Himself, arising from the Baptist's death ...

30-44 Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away....

Verse 31. _REST A WHILE_] _Rest_ is necessary for those who _labour_; and a _zealous_ preacher of the Gospel will as often stand in need of it as a _galley slave_....

A DESERT PLACE - A retired place, across the sea from Capernaum, where they would be free from interruption. THERE WERE MANY COMING AND GOING - Coming to be healed and retiring, or coming to hear him preach. It means that they were “thronged,” or that there was a vast multitude attending his preaching....

EXPOSITION MARK 6:1 Our Lord now left the neighbourhood of Capernaum, and came INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY, the district of Nazareth, where he had been, not born indeed, but brought up, and where his kinsfolk after the flesh still lived. Nazareth would be about a day's journey from Capernaum. This was not the first public exercise of his ministry at Nazareth. Of that and its results St. Luke gives us the account (Luke 4:16). It would seem reasonable to suppose that, after the fame which he had now acquired, he should again visit the place where he had been brought up. His sisters were still living there. St. Mark here again uses the historical present ἔρχεται, "he cometh," for which there is better authority than for ἧλθεν_. _HIS

AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... After he had heard their account, was satisfied with it, and approved of what they had said and done: COME YE YOURSELVES APART INTO A DESERT PLACE, AND REST A WHILE: where they might be free from noise and hurry, and take some rest and refreshment, after their wearisome journey, hard labours, and great fatigue in preaching and working miracles; which shows the great compassion, tenderness, and care of Christ, for his disciples: FOR THERE WERE MANY COMING AND GOING, AND THEY HAD NO LEISURE SO MUCH AS TO EAT; the people were continually going to and fro; as soon as one company was gone, who came with their sick and diseased to be healed, or upon one account or another, another came: so that there was no opportunity of private meditation and prayer, nor of spiritual converse together: nor even so much as to eat a meal's meat for the refreshment of nature....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The Servant rejected in Nazareth. (Mark 6:1. Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:16)_ 2. The Servant sends forth the Twelve. (Mark 6:7 .Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:1) 3. King Herod troubled. (Mark 6:14. Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7)...

THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE. Mk. regards the disciples-' need of rest after their missionary labours as the occasion for retirement. The hostility of Herod may also have contributed to the decision to withdraw to a desert place. The pressure of the public on the time and energies of the disciple-band is, however, put in the foreground. The eagerness of the crowd defeats the purpose of Jesus. Though He has withdrawn to avoid them. He goes forth to welcome them. To Him they seem like the shepherdless flock described in Ezekiel 34. Their political and religious leaders are worthless, and their first need is teaching. Jesus is touched by the crowd's half-unconscious search for leadership. Mk. preserves (Mark 6:34) his tantalizing silence as to the content of Jesus-' teaching. He is more interested in the care of Jesus for men's physical hunger than in His concern for their spiritual and pol...

WITHOUT HONOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY (Mark 6:1-6)...

COME... APART. See note on "withdrew" (Mark 3:7....