Mark 6:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

NIV: Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

NASB: And He *said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while.' (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

CSB: He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while." For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

NLT: Then Jesus said, 'Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.' He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

When Jesus travels through Galilee, preaching and performing miracles, it's common for Him to be so inundated with people that He has no time to rest. In the early days of His ministry, He has to sneak out of the house at night just to pray (Mark 1:35). When He returns to Capernaum after traveling, so many people come seeking healing that He has no chance to eat (Mark 3:20). When He does find time to take the Twelve away for some rest and training, He is exhausted to the point of falling asleep in a boat in a violent storm (Mark 4:35–41).

Now that the Twelve have gone on their own missions trip, they gain a better understanding of what Jesus goes through. They have returned from traveling around Galilee. Now, Jesus wishes to take them away from the crowds to discuss their experiences. But, once again, their return catches the attention of a mob.

We can relate to this story in our own ministries. Jesus promises that His servants will be taken care of and that the tasks He gives us will be doable if we rely on Him (Matthew 10:7–8). If we look out for and work toward the manifestation of His kingdom on earth, He will add to us whatever we need (Matthew 6:31–33).

This passage gives us a chance to consider the needs of our spiritual authorities, as well. Pastors, ministry workers, and missionaries learn how to do much with little. When we ensure our leaders are well-rested and well-provided for, we reflect the loving care that Christ gives to all His people.

Abide in Christ at all times so you have the ability to faithfully serve when the situation is challenging. Learn when you need to rest, and rely on God for support when you can't take that time. Support and encourage your ministry leaders. Take care of those who work for and with you. That is the expression of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Mark 6:30–32 describes the return of Jesus' followers from their first preaching mission. Jesus has shown the Twelve His authority over sickness (Mark 5:25–34), death (Mark 5:21–24, 35–43), demons (Mark 5:1–20), and the elements of nature (Mark 4:35–41). But they have also learned of the death of His herald, John the Baptist (Mark 6:14–29), and witnessed His rejection by His family (Mark 6:1–6). With all this in mind, Jesus has sent them out to preach repentance and back up their message with miracles of their own. Now they return to tell Jesus what they have done. This series of events is also found in Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10, and John 6:1.

Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, but the people there are faithless and skeptical. As a result, Jesus performs no more than a few minor miracles. He then assigns His twelve apostles to travel in pairs, preaching repentance and healing various conditions. Mark then takes a brief detour to explain the death of John the Baptist, beheaded after Herod Antipas is tricked by his wife. The focus then returns to Jesus, explaining His miraculous feeding of thousands of people, walking on water, and healing people in Gennesaret.

Even as the Twelve are given opportunity to wield some of Jesus' power and authority, they still struggle to understand. They misinterpret who He is, what He has come to do, and how much He will ask of them. They fear Jesus' display of deity, but seem to dismiss the murderous rejection of His hometown and the death of John the Baptist. It's easy to have faith in a prophet who seems poised to rescue Israel from foreign rule. It is still beyond them to understand that He is actually God.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.