Ver. 31-33. Matthew makes the cause of this motion of our Saviour's to have been his receiving the report of Herod's dealing with John the Baptist, as we often find him yielding to the fury of his adversaries. Mark assigns another reason, (as there may be several reasons or motives of and to the same action or motion), viz. that both himself and his apostles might have a little rest. The place which he chose for his recess is called a desert place, not because it was wholly not inhabited, but very thinly inhabited. Luke saith it was a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida, Luke 9:10; probably some large forest, or common pasture, which belonged to that city, and took a denomination from it. It was a place on the other side of the water, for they went to it by ship. But this water was but a lake, though called the sea of Tiberias, for the people, fetching a little further compass about, went thither on foot, and outwent the motion of the ship.
Related Commentaries of Mark 6:31
Mark 6:31
31 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.