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Christ and the Twelve Take a Vacation
This chapter is based on Matthew 14:1, 2, 12, 13; Mark 6:30-32;
Luke 9:7-10.
When they returned from their missionary tour, “the apostles
gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done
and what they had taught. And He said to them, ‘Come aside by
yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’”
The disciples’ close relationship with Jesus encouraged them to
tell Him about their good and bad experiences as evangelists. As
they frankly told Christ of their experiences, He saw that they needed
much instruction. He saw, too, that they needed rest.
But where they were then, they could not find privacy, “for there
were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to
eat.” The people were crowding around Christ, anxious to be healed
and eager to listen to His words. To many, He seemed to be the
Fountain of all blessings.
But now Christ longed to be away from the crowds because He
had much to say to His disciples. Sometimes in their work, they
had been very troubled to know what to do. Now they needed to go
to a place of seclusion where they could talk privately with Jesus
and receive instruction for future work. They had been putting their
whole souls into labor for the people, and this was exhausting their
physical and mental strength. It was their duty to rest.
As the disciples had seen their work succeed, they were in danger
of taking credit to themselves, of cherishing spiritual pride, and
falling under Satan’s temptations. They must learn that their strength
was not in themselves but in God. They needed to spend time with
Christ, with nature, and with their own hearts.
It was about this time that Jesus received the news of John the
Baptist’s death. This brought vividly to His mind the end to which
His own steps were leading. Priests and rabbis were watching, spies
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