Church Fathers Commentary Mark 6:30-34

"And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus; and they told him all things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught. And he saith 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 they went away in the boat to a desert place apart. And [the people] saw them going, and many knew [them], and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them. And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." — Mark 6:30-34 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: The Evangelist, after relating the death of John, gives an account of what Christ did with His disciples after John's death, saying, And the Apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

Pseudo-Jerome: For they return to the fountainhead from where the streams flow; those who are sent by God always offer up thanks for what they have received.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Let us also learn, when we are sent on any mission, not to go far away or overstep the bounds of the office committed to us. Instead, we should go often to Him who sends us and report all that we have done and taught, for we must not only teach but also act.

The Venerable Bede: Not only do the Apostles tell the Lord what they themselves had done and taught, but His own and John's disciples together also tell Him what John had suffered during the time that they were busy teaching, as Matthew relates.

The passage continues: And He said to them, Come you yourselves apart...

St. Augustine of Hippo: This is said to have taken place after the passion of John; therefore, what is related first actually took place last. For it was by these events that Herod was moved to say, This is John the Baptist, whom I beheaded.¹

Theophylact of Ohrid: Again, He goes into a deserted place out of humility. But Christ makes His disciples rest so that those who are set over others may learn that people who labor in any work or in the word deserve rest and ought not to labor continually.

The Venerable Bede: He shows why it was necessary to give His disciples rest when He adds, For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. We can see from this how great the happiness of that time was, both from the toil of the teachers and the diligence of the learners.

The passage continues: And embarking in a ship, they departed into a deserted place privately.

The disciples did not enter the ship alone; taking the Lord with them, they went to a deserted place, as Matthew shows (Matthew 14). Here, by seeking a deserted place, He tests the faith of the multitude to see if they cared enough to follow Him.

And they do follow Him. Not on horseback or in carriages, but laboriously coming on foot, they show how great their eagerness is for their salvation.

The text continues: And the people saw them departing, and many knew Him, and ran on foot there out of all the cities, and outran them.

By saying that the people outran them on foot, it is proved that the disciples with the Lord did not cross to the other bank of the sea or of the Jordan. Instead, they went to the nearest places in the same region, where the local people could reach them on foot.

Theophylact of Ohrid: So do not wait for Christ until He Himself calls you, but outrun Him and come before Him.

The text continues: And Jesus when He came out saw many people, and was moved with compassion towards them, because they were as sheep having no shepherd.

The Pharisees, being ravenous wolves, did not feed the sheep but devoured them. For this reason, the people gathered to Christ, the true Shepherd, who gave them spiritual food: the word of God.

Therefore, the passage continues: And He began to teach them many things.

Seeing that those who followed Him because of His miracles were tired from the long journey, He pitied them and wished to satisfy their desire by teaching them.

The Venerable Bede: Matthew says that He healed their sick, for the true way to pity the poor is to open the way of truth to them by teaching and to relieve their bodily pains.²

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, however, the Lord took aside those whom He chose so that, though living among evil men, they might not apply their minds to evil things, like Lot in Sodom, Job in the land of Uz, and Obadiah in the house of Ahab.

The Venerable Bede: Leaving Judea, the holy preachers, in the desert of the Church and overwhelmed by the burden of their tribulations among the Jews, obtained rest by imparting the grace of faith to the Gentiles.³

Pseudo-Jerome: The rest of the saints on earth is indeed little and their labor is long, but afterward, they are commanded to rest from their labors. Just as in the ark of Noah, some animals that were inside were sent out, while those that were outside rushed in, so it is in the Church: Judas left, and the thief came to Christ.

As long as people fall away from the faith, the Church can have no refuge from grief, for Rachel weeping for her children would not be comforted. Moreover, this world is not the banquet where the new wine is drunk, where the new song will be sung by men made new, and where this mortal shall have put on immortality.

The Venerable Bede: But when Christ goes to the deserts of the Gentiles, many groups of the faithful, leaving the walls of their cities—that is, their old way of life—follow Him.⁴

1. de Con. Evan., 2, 45
2. in Marc., 2, 26
3. in Marc., 2, 25
4. in Marc., 2, 26