Church Fathers Commentary Mark 1:35-39

"And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee. And he saith unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth. And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons." — Mark 1:35-39 (ASV)

Theophylact of Ohrid: After the Lord had cured the sick, He withdrew to be alone.

Therefore, it is said, And rising very early in the morning, He went out and departed into a desert place. By this, He taught us not to do anything for the sake of appearance, but if we do any good, not to publicize it.

It continues, and there prayed.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Not that He required prayer, for it was He who Himself received the prayers of men. Rather, He did this as part of the divine economy, becoming for us a model of good work.¹

Theophylact of Ohrid: For He shows us that we ought to attribute to God whatever we do well, and to say to Him, Every good gift cometh down from above, from You (James 1:17).

It continues: And Simon followed Him, and they that were with Him.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Luke, however, says that crowds came to Christ and said what Mark here relates that the apostles said, adding, And when they came to Him, they said to Him, All seek thee (Luke 4:42).

But they do not contradict each other, for after the apostles, Christ received the multitude, who were breathlessly anxious to embrace His feet. He received them willingly but chose to send them away so that the others might also partake of His teaching, since He was not to remain long in the world.²

And so it continues: And He said, Let us go into the neighboring villages and towns, that there also I may preach.

Theophylact of Ohrid: For He moves on to them, as they were more in need, since it was not right to confine His teaching to one place, but to spread its rays everywhere.

It continues: For therefore am I come.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: In this statement, He reveals the mystery of His emptying Himself—that is, of His incarnation—and the sovereignty of His divine nature, in that He asserts here that He came willingly into the world (see Philippians 2:7-8).³

Luke, however, says, To this end was I sent, proclaiming the Dispensation and the good pleasure of God the Father concerning the incarnation of the Son.

It continues: And He continued preaching in their synagogues, throughout all Galilee.

St. Augustine of Hippo: But this preaching, which, as Mark says, He continued throughout all Galilee, also refers to the Lord's sermon delivered on the mount. Matthew mentions this sermon, but Mark has passed over it entirely, giving nothing like it. Mark does, however, repeat some sentences spoken by the Lord at other times, though not in continuous order but in scattered places.⁴

Theophylact of Ohrid: He also combined action with teaching, for while He was preaching, He also drove out demons.

For it continues: And casting out demons.

For unless Christ performed miracles, His teaching would not have been believed.

Therefore, you also must work after you teach, so that your word is not fruitless in yourself.

The Venerable Bede: Again, mystically, if the setting of the sun represents the Savior's death, why should not the returning dawn represent His resurrection? For by its clear light, He went far into the wilderness of the Gentiles and there continued praying in the person of His faithful disciples, for He stirred their hearts to the virtue of prayer by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

1. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
2. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
3. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
4. de Con. Evan., ii, 19