Luke 4:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When he had bestowed sufficient favour upon the people by miracles, it was necessary for Him to depart. For miracles are always thought greater when the worker is gone, since they themselves are then the more heeded, and have in their turn a voice; as it is said, But when it was day, he departed, and went.

He does not limit Himself to a single location, declaring, I must proclaim the kingdom of God to other cities as well. Consequently, we should not grow complacent or satisfied with merely one area, but instead, we ought to venture into all places, aiming to bring benefit to others.

In a similar manner, concerning all these matters.

* Refer to Mark 1:38-39.

He went also into the desert, as Mark says, and prayed; not that he needed prayer, but as an example to us of good works.

But if the sun-setting mystically expresses the death of our Lord, the returning day denotes His resurrection, (the light of which being made manifest, He is sought for by the multitudes of believers, and being found in the desert of the Gentiles He is held back by them, lest He should depart;) especially as this took place on the first day of the week, on which day the Resurrection was celebrated.

On that day (Luke), after rising very early (Mark), Jesus Christ withdrew to a desolate, unpopulated place (as noted by Mark) to engage in prayer. However, Simon and his companions (referring to Andrew, James, and John as noted earlier in the Gospel) went out to look for Christ. When they located Him, they informed Him that the crowd was searching for Him. Following this (according to Luke's narrative), the people approached Him, urging Him to remain with them. Yet the Lord emphasized that He needed to proclaim the kingdom of God in other towns and thus set out on His journey, bringing the apostles along. The evangelists used this early morning episode as a prelude to the subsequent events, concluding their account with a summary statement: "And He preached in their synagogues throughout Galilee, casting out demons."

With the arrival of morning, He was prepared once more to resume His redemptive work. However, His blessings were not meant to be limited to Capernaum. Numerous other towns and villages nearby were equally in need of guidance and grace, and Christ desired to expand His outreach to these places. “Come,” He instructed His disciples, “to the nearby towns and villages, so that I may proclaim the kingdom of God there as well; for this purpose I have been sent.”

Refer to the commentary on Mark 1:35-39. The crowd was searching for Him, and according to the Gospel of Mark, Simon and those with him pursued the Lord. The phrase "held Him back" is noted only by the Gospel of Luke but is also implied in the Gospel of Mark when the Lord responds that He must journey to other towns. In the Gospel of Mark, Peter and his companions are depicted as taking action, whereas in the Gospel of Luke, the focus shifts slightly in its presentation. However, this variation does not alter the essence of the event.

After proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven in Capernaum and validating His message through remarkable miracles, Christ the Savior recognized the importance of sharing His message in additional towns and villages. Thus, early the following morning, while the city's residents were still asleep, He withdrew to a solitary place where He prayed in silence, preparing for His journey through Galilee. Solitude often provided the Lord with a chance to find peace and rejuvenation after His work with the people, as seen in Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, and Luke 5:16, or to ready Himself for significant events, as described in Matthew 26:36-42, Mark 14:35-39, and Luke 9:28-29, 22:41-44.