Jesus has had quite a day. The synagogue congregation have been amazed by his teaching, many sick people have been healed and demon-oppressed people freed. Next day he is up early to spend time in prayer (v 35). 

The word translated ‘solitary place’ (v 35) is the same one used for ‘wilderness’ in verse 12. After the start of his public ministry he again withdraws to spend time with his Father to focus on the mission and strategy which he had to pursue in making known the good news of the kingdom. The disciples might have expected him to continue with healing and preaching in Capernaum, but his mission was much wider (vs 38,39). The kingdom has to be preached in other towns. Jesus is focused on his calling.

I once knew a minister who pastored several churches. Each time he went to a small, struggling congregation, he built it up with his pastoral and teaching skills. Then, as it became established, he moved on to help another small church. That is not a way to become famous perhaps, but it was his calling from God.

‘The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.’¹

Here is another story beautifully told. As so often in Mark, two narratives are at play. On the surface, Jesus goes out to pray early in the morning. Even Jesus, God himself, regularly takes time to be alone with the Father and pray. He does this, surely, not to be an example to us, but to keep his human will attuned to the divine will of his Father and spend time drawing strength from the unbroken fellowship of the Trinity. There is no need to assume that he was driven again into the wilderness. He just went out, before anyone else was awake, to somewhere where he could be alone. Simon, already the leader, took the others and went looking for him and, on finding him, declared (with some exaggeration?) that everybody was looking for him. One cannot help sensing that Simon and the rest felt that Jesus’ responsibility was to be with them, preaching and healing, and not playing hookey on his own.

Underneath lies a darker narrative. In Galilee, with Herod Antipas watching, Jesus needed to keep on the move. Herod’s father had tried to assassinate ‘the one who has been born king of the Jews’, as a result of which Mary and Joseph had fled to Egypt to keep him safe.² Now Jesus is back in Antipas’ territory, attracting large crowds. Mark’s words are suggestive: ‘Very early’, ‘while it was still dark’, ‘Jesus … went off’, ‘solitary place’, ‘Everyone is looking for you!’

Yes, they were – and not only so that they could learn from his teaching and be healed by his miracles. Some had more sinister motives. Notice, however, how Jesus turned necessity to advantage as he travelled around Galilee, outwitting Herod and fulfilling the Father’s purposes at the same time. In more than one sense, he was awake while Simon and his friends slept.

Father, keep us, like Jesus, ‘as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves’.³

¹ Ps 145:18  ² Matt 2:1–15  ³ Matt 10:16