Mark 1:39Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Not that He required prayer; for it was He who Himself received the prayers of men; but He did this by way of an economy, and became to us the model of good works.

He also mingled action with teaching, for whilst employed in preaching, He afterwards put to flight devils. For there follows: And casting out devils. For unless Christ shewed forth miracles, His teaching would not be believed; so do thou also, after teaching, work, that thy word be not fruitless in thyself.

But by this preaching, which, he says, He continued in all Galilee, is also meant the sermon of the Lord delivered on the mount, which Matthew mentions, and Mark has entirely passed over, without giving any thing like it, save that he has repeated some sentences not in continuous order, but in scattered places, spoken by the Lord at other times.

Again mystically if by the setting of the sun, the death of the Saviour is intended, why should not His resurrection be intended by the returning dawn? 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 aroused their hearts by the grace of the Holy Spirit to the virtue of prayer.

When the appointed day arrived, rising early, Jesus Christ retreated to a remote, uninhabited location to seek communion with God in prayer. However, Simon, along with those accompanying him—Andrew, James, and John—set out to find the Lord. Upon locating Him, they informed Him that the crowds were seeking Him. Subsequently, the people also approached Him, pleading with Him not to leave them. Yet, the Lord responded that He needed to proclaim the kingdom of God in other towns and began His journey, inviting His apostles to join Him. The evangelists utilize this morning's account not only to narrate events but also to transition into the next passages, concluding their description with a summary: "and He preached in their synagogues throughout Galilee, casting out demons."

Jesus performed numerous healings and delivered many from demonic oppression in Capernaum, leading Him to lament the ingratitude of its residents by foretelling the dire consequences that awaited them: "And you, Capernaum, who were exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell; for if the powers that were manifested in you had been manifested in Sodom, it would have remained until this day" (Matthew 11:23). After departing from Capernaum with His disciples, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, preaching and performing signs and wonders. His reputation spread beyond Galilee into Syria; those afflicted with illness and those tormented by unclean spirits journeyed from distant places, including regions across the Jordan, Judea, and even Jerusalem, to seek His healing touch. He restored health to all, and many who experienced His miracles or accompanied the afflicted became His followers, eager to hear His teachings.

As dawn broke, He was prepared once more to pursue His redemptive mission. However, His blessings were not intended to be limited to Capernaum alone. Numerous other towns and villages in the vicinity were also in need of His guidance and grace, and Christ aimed to broaden His outreach to these communities. "Come," He instructed His disciples, "let us go to the nearby villages and cities, so that I may proclaim the kingdom of God there as well; for this is the purpose for which I was sent." Before heading to these locations, He deemed it fitting to add one more member to His circle of devoted followers, whose calling unfolded under extraordinary circumstances (Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32).

In the synagogues, which were the designated places for the Jewish people to gather for teaching in the scriptures.

Having declared the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven in Capernaum and affirmed this good news through extraordinary miracles, Christ the Saviour recognized the necessity to share His message in other towns and villages. So, early the following morning, while the city dwellers were still peacefully asleep, He retreated to a desolate place, where, in quiet solitude, He prayed to prepare for His mission across Galilee. Prayer, especially in solitude, often allowed the Lord to find rest and rejuvenation after laboring among the people or to ready Himself for significant undertakings. Meanwhile, as the people gathered at Simon's house, they discovered that the Divine Teacher and Miracle Worker was not there.