And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat.
και ειπεν αυτοις δευτε υμεις αυτοι κατ ιδιαν εις ερημον τοπον και αναπαυεσθε ολιγον ησαν γαρ οι ερχομενοι και οι υπαγοντες πολλοι και ουδε φαγειν ευκαιρουν
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Christ provides His followers with peace; this serves as a teaching for leaders, emphasizing the importance of offering solace to those who toil in teaching and doctrine, rather than perpetually burdening them with strain and effort.
After sharing the news of John's death with Christ, Matthew continues his account by stating that when Jesus learned of it, He left in a boat to a solitary place. The crowds, having heard about it, followed Him on foot from the towns. Upon disembarking, Jesus saw a large crowd and felt compassion for them, healing their infirmities. This event occurs right after the report of John's demise, which troubled Herod, leading him to declare, ‘I have beheaded John.’ It is clear that the unsettling news that reached Herod, prompting him to wonder who Christ might be, came to him only after John's execution. In contrast, Mark tells us that after describing John's martyrdom, the apostles returned to Jesus, recounting their teachings and deeds.
He uniquely notes that the Lord instructed them to take a brief respite in a quiet area, then journeyed with them in a boat, departing from the place. Yet, the crowd anticipated their arrival, and moved toward them. Out of compassion, the Lord instructed them, and when evening approached, He fed the entire assembly with five loaves and two fish. This miraculous event is documented by all four Gospel writers. Luke places the account of John's imprisonment earlier, which we have previously examined. Following his narrative of Herod and his attempt to understand who Jesus was, he mirrors Mark’s account by detailing the apostles’ return, their report of their ministry, the Lord's departure with them to a secluded location, the pursuit of the multitudes, His teachings on the kingdom of God, His healing of the sick, and concluding with the evening feeding of the five thousand. John presents a different perspective from the other three; he elaborates on the teachings and dialogues of Christ rather than focusing solely on His miracles. His statement, ‘Leaving Judea, He went again into Galilee,’ coincides with the others’ depiction of Jesus traveling to Galilee after John the Baptist was imprisoned. John continues with the Lord’s conversation with a Samaritan woman whom He met at a well during His travels. According to John, two days later, Christ departed from Samaria, made His way to Galilee, and arrived in Cana of Galilee, where He previously had turned water into wine. On this occasion, He healed the son of a nobleman. Much of what He accomplished and taught in Galilee is captured by the other Gospel writers, though John chose to omit it and instead included details they left out. He is the only one to mention that during the festival, the Lord visited Jerusalem and performed a miracle for a man who had been afflicted for thirty-eight years, waiting for assistance to enter the pool where the ailing were healed. The confrontation with the Jewish leaders is also recounted here. John further narrates that Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias, gathering a large crowd, before retreating to a mountain with His disciples. As the Passover festival approached, He observed the multitude and miraculously fed them with five loaves and two fish. While all four authors recount this miraculous feeding, John offers a distinctive angle on the event compared to the others. Though the first three Gospel writers missed aspects found in John's narrative, they ultimately converge at the account of the five loaves. While they traveled similar paths, John sought to elevate the understanding of the Lord's teachings, joining them briefly in their description of the miracle before ascending to a higher perspective once more.
This illustrates the profound joy of those times, evident in the efforts of the instructors and the commitment of the learners. It is my hope that our current era would reflect this, with the servants of the Word being accompanied by a faithful multitude, leaving them no time to attend to their own needs.
As the people journeyed from various towns to Jerusalem for the upcoming festival, fueled by the widespread message about Jesus and their growing reverence for Him after John's death, they increasingly congregated around Him each day. The Lord had no intention of going to Jerusalem at that moment; His appointed time had yet to arrive (John 7:6, 8). Thus, to address the unsettling rumors concerning Herod and to provide comfort to His disciples, the Lord chose to retreat with them to a quiet location—Bethsaida, situated on the opposite shore of the Lake of Galilee. This town, in the district of Gavaonitis, was under the jurisdiction of Philip, Herod Antipas's brother (Luke 9:10). They made their way across the lake, while the crowds trailed them along the shoreline.
Realizing that they could not evade the multitude, the Lord began to share with the people about the kingdom of heaven and compassionately healed the afflicted. As the day grew late, the people stayed with Him, despite their lack of food.
The first three Gospel writers link Jesus Christ's retreat to the eastern shore of the sea with several key events: the report from John the Baptist's disciples regarding their teacher's martyrdom (Matthew 14:12-13), the return of the twelve apostles from their mission, as well as Jesus' own desire for solitude and rest (Mark), and also with the news circulating in Herod's court regarding Jesus and Herod's wish to see Him (Luke 9:9-10). This indicates that both the tired disciples and Jesus, who faced constant interaction with throngs of people, were in need of seclusion.
However, the grim news of John the Baptist's execution, along with Herod's desire to meet Jesus, compelled the Lord to seek refuge on the eastern side of the sea, in the territory ruled by the tetrarch Philip, the son of Herod the Great, who was generally remembered favorably by the people. According to Luke, the secluded area where Jesus and His followers withdrew was close to Bethsaida. Given the context of the surrounding narratives, it appears this refers to Bethsaida located in the east, specifically Bethsaida-Julia, situated at the confluence of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee, named in honor of Julia, the daughter of Augustus by tetrarch Philip. Thus, when the Gospel of John states πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης τῆς Γαλιλαίας τῆς Τιβεριάδος, it indicates two names for the same body of water. The second name signifies the shore specifically of Tiberias, noted in Hebrew likely because Jesus and the apostles embarked from that location, which is further corroborated in verse 23, where it mentions that on the following day, other boats from Tiberias arrived at the site of the miraculous feeding.
After the burial of John, his disciples approached Jesus to inform Him about their Master's passing. Concurrently, the apostles arrived after completing their mission, sharing with Him all their activities and teachings. During this time, large crowds thronged around Jesus, with many people coming and going, leaving them no chance to eat. The tragic news of the last prophet’s violent death undoubtedly saddened Jesus, who often sought seclusion from the bustling crowd during times of sorrow. Hence, He desired to retreat to a solitary place.
Moreover, His apostles had just returned from various locations after fulfilling the tasks assigned to them. It was vital for Jesus to engage with them privately to hear their reports, allowing them some initial respite from the clamorous crowd. This would provide them the opportunity to reflect, focus on their experiences, and recount to Him everything they accomplished in His name. Therefore, Jesus withdrew with the apostles to a deserted location, away from the multitude.
Matthew notes that Jesus departed by boat to a solitary place (Matthew 14:3); Mark states that the apostles were instructed by Jesus to go to a deserted area by themselves; and Luke mentions that Jesus took the apostles who had returned and went to a deserted place near a town called Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). Comparing the accounts of these three Evangelists, it appears that Matthew refers to Jesus and the apostles being alone, without the surrounding crowd. Luke confirms that Jesus took the apostles with Him, indicating they left together, not separately. Additionally, Mark highlights that the multitude observed their departure and pursued them on foot from all the towns, not chasing the apostles specifically, but rather following after Jesus, who had set sail with them.
The Savior felt profound sorrow over the demise of John the Baptist, prompting Him to retreat to a secluded area, away from the lively city of Capernaum, seeking solitude to rejuvenate His spirit and engage in conversation with His disciples. Upon boarding the boat, He instructed His disciples to set sail for Bethsaida—not the one from which Peter and the other apostles originated, located near Capernaum and bustling with activity—but rather a different Bethsaida, situated at the northeastern extremity of the lake, further away from the confluence of the Jordan.
Initially a modest settlement like its western counterpart, this location was transformed and beautified shortly before by Philip, the tetrarch of Iturea, who rebranded it as Julia's Bethsaida in honor of Julia, the striking yet immoral daughter of Emperor Augustus. The boat carried Christ and the apostles, who were in search of respite for their weary and burdened souls.
"Go ye alone into a deserted location": this does not imply that the Lord stayed behind, allowing the disciples to withdraw by themselves; rather, He accompanied them, which is evident from the subsequent lines of the narrative (v. 33: “and they came together unto Him”), and is particularly clear in the account found in Luke (Luke 9:10, cf. Matt. 14:13). The phrase ‘ye alone’ signifies that they were without the crowd and the other disciples, yet they were together with Jesus. He journeyed with them as well. - ‘There were many that went by,’ etc.: The Lord was consistently surrounded by throngs of people, but on this occasion, the crowd was particularly large, hindering both the Lord and His disciples from finding rest or nourishment. Consequently, the disciples withdrew ‘to a deserted place’ near Bethsaida (Luke 9:10), alone in the sense of being apart from the crowd, but still accompanied by the Lord.
It seems more suitable to convey the message in these passages in the following manner: “And He instructed them, ‘Depart to a solitary place, away from Me, and take a short rest,’ for there had been so much coming and going that the apostles had not even had time to eat.” They then set off to a remote area on a specific boat. The crowds saw their departure — both the Saviour and the apostles in distinct boats — and many recognized Him, rushing from all the towns on foot to alert the apostles, gathering around Him.
The term δεῦτε conveys a sense of movement, whether on land or water, on foot or mounted. Our translation of ‘go’ implies mere removal and not the act of traveling itself, as we cannot say, “go on a steamer.” This term can consistently be applied to distinct places or directions. The phrase “by themselves” indicates a necessity for solitude, whereas the term “especially” denotes their unique journey apart from others. It's important not to misinterpret the term "alone," as it may lead to confusion about the Saviour's company.
In verse thirty-three, a significant distinction exists between the Slavonic-Russian text and our interpretation, particularly in the recognition by the people — they recognized Him, rather than the apostles. The singular form is favored based on revisions from earlier Greek editions. The context reinforces this understanding: the multitude did not gather to alert the apostles, but rather ran to the Lord, indicating their recognition of Him.
Although the evidence from the Codex Sinaiticus suggests a plural form, its omission of critical parts of the verses might have led to alternative interpretations. Given this context, it’s evident that the singular reference stands stronger when considering the intent of the narrative. Remarkably, among various Greek texts, the singular form prevails in verse thirty-two as well.
Exploring the accounts from Matthew, Mark, and Luke reveals subtle variations that converge to clarify the episode. According to Matthew, Jesus departed alone to a deserted location, and the people followed him. Mark states that the apostles went alone, while Luke notes that the Lord brought the apostles with Him. Our interpretation aligns all these renditions cohesively: the Lord indeed took the apostles along in a distinct boat, reflecting the special journey undertaken.
Following their return to the Saviour with reports of their ministry and news of John the Baptist’s passing, the Lord took His apostles aside on a separate boat, inviting them to find rest. However, the crowds, aware of His route, converged on Him before the apostles could rejuvenate, leading them to alert the apostles of their arrival.
The apostles returned after their preaching and shared with Christ the Savior everything they had taught and accomplished. They were in need of rest following their strenuous efforts, but the throngs of people eager to see and hear the Lord were so overwhelming that they had no opportunity even to eat. Jesus sent the disciples ahead to a remote place, intending to accompany them Himself. The immediate impetus for this retreat was the news of the martyrdom of His Forerunner; understanding that His time had not yet arrived (John 7:5) and to evade any potential threat from Herod Antipas, the governor of Galilee, He chose to withdraw to the territory of His brother Philip, near Bethsaida.
This city was situated at the northeastern edge of the Sea of Galilee, not far from where the Jordan River flows into it. Unlike the Galilean village named Bethsaida, which was the home of the fishermen apostles, this city was known as Bethsaida of Julia, in honor of Augustus' daughter. The boat carrying Jesus and the apostles headed towards the unpopulated areas surrounding this city. However, the crowd noticed their departure; many recognized them and spread the word. People from various towns hurried along the shoreline, keeping the boat in sight in an attempt to reach them. When Jesus disembarked, He was met by a multitude waiting on the shore who had anticipated His arrival. Filled with compassion for them, as they were like sheep without a shepherd, He began to teach them about the kingdom of God and healed those who were ill. Later, He ascended the mountain with His disciples and took a seat while the crowd continued to approach Him. As time passed, the day began to wane.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 26 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS