Albert Barnes Commentary Mark 1:35

"And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed." — Mark 1:35 (ASV)

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day. Luke says (Luke 4:42), it was day.

The passage in Mark means, in the original, not literally a great while before day, but very early, or while there was still much appearance of night.

The passage in Luke means at daybreak, at the beginning of day. At that time, there is also much appearance of night. Luke and Mark, therefore, refer to the same time—before it was fully light, or just at daybreak.

And departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Here observe:

1. That the Savior, though perfectly holy, regarded the duty of secret prayer as of great importance.
2. That He sought a solitary place for it—far away from the world and even His disciples.
3. That it was early in the morning—the first thing after rising—always the best time, and a time when it should not be omitted.
4. If Jesus prayed, how much more important is it for us! If He did it in the morning, how much more important is it for us, before the world gets possession of our thoughts, before Satan fills us with unholy feelings, when we rise fresh from beds of repose, and while the world around us is still!

David also prayed in this manner (Psalms 5:3). Anyone who wishes to enjoy religion will seek a place of secret prayer in the morning. If that is omitted, all will go wrong. Our piety will wither. The world will fill our thoughts. Temptations will be strong. And through the day we will find it impossible to raise our feelings to a state of proper devotion.

This is universally true: that religious enjoyment through the day will be according to the state of the heart in the morning, and can, therefore, be measured by our faithfulness in early secret prayer.

How different, too, was the conduct of the Savior from those who spend the precious hours of the morning in sleep! He knew the value of the morning hours; He rose while the world was still. He saw when the light spread abroad in the east with fresh tokens of His Father's presence and joined with the universal creation in offering praise to the everywhere-present God.

All men seek for thee. That is, many men, or multitudes. The inquiry after Him was general. They told Him this, evidently with a view to induce Him to leave His place of retirement and to prevail upon Him to appear publicly to instruct the multitudes.