And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples tell Jesus it's a desolate place and the hour is late, but the real issue they're highlighting is their own lack of resources and perceived inability to solve the problem. They're focused on the logistical impossibility of feeding so many, overlooking Jesus' own power to provide.
And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus and his disciples had just returned from a mission trip where they had been teaching and healing people. Exhausted, Jesus invited them to a quiet, deserted place to rest. However, a large crowd had followed them, and Jesus, moved with compassion, began to teach and heal them. As the day wore on, the disciples became concerned about the people's hunger and the lateness of the hour, realizing they were in a remote location with no food readily available.
Imagine being with Jesus, seeing Him teach and heal, and then realizing... it's getting late. What's your first thought? For the disciples, it was about logistics.
In Mark 6:35, the disciples approach Jesus with a pressing concern: 'This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.' Their minds are on the practical realities – the lack of food and the approaching evening. They see a problem that needs a logical, human solution: send the people away to find their own provisions.
This shows us how easily we, like the disciples, can get caught up in the 'how' of a situation without fully trusting the 'who.' They had just witnessed Jesus perform numerous miracles, yet their immediate instinct was to rely on human planning rather than divine power. They were focused on the scarcity of the place and the lateness of the hour, rather than the abundance of the One who was with them.
The disciples were focused on the problem. But Jesus saw something entirely different in the same crowd. What did He see that they missed?
While the disciples saw a logistical problem and a need to dismiss the crowd, Jesus saw souls in need. Mark 6:34 tells us, 'Jesus... was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.' He wasn't just looking at hungry people; He was looking at the spiritual state of a lost and scattered flock.
This divine perspective is crucial. Even when surrounded by practical needs and demands, Jesus' heart was for the deeper, spiritual hunger of people. His response wasn't to send them away, but to engage further, teaching them many things. This highlights His mission: not just to meet immediate physical needs, but to address the root cause of their wandering and point them to true sustenance.
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Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
Followers or learners of a teacher; in the New Testament, specifically those who were closely associated with Jesus, observing His life and receiving His unique instruction.
The disciples' concern reflects a practical, human assessment of a challenging situation, contrasting with Jesus' divine foreknowledge and plan to provide for the people's physical and spiritual needs.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus' public ministry in Galilee involves teaching, healing, and gathering crowds of followers. This period sees increasing popularity but also opposition from religious leaders.
c. AD 28
John the Baptist's Imprisonment and Death
John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod Antipas and later executed. This event deeply affects Jesus and his disciples, prompting Jesus to withdraw temporarily.
c. AD 28
Disciples' Mission
Jesus sends out his twelve disciples in pairs to preach, heal, and cast out demons, empowering them for ministry. They experience great success, which may have led to overexcitement.
c. AD 28
Disciples Return from Mission
The disciples return from their mission, eager to report their successes to Jesus. Jesus calls them to a private place to rest, recognizing their need for a break from constant activity.
c. AD 28
Jesus and disciples travel to Bethsaida
Jesus and his disciples board a boat to seek a secluded spot near Bethsaida for rest. However, crowds notice them and follow them by land.
c. AD 28
The Multitude Follows Jesus
Despite Jesus' attempt to withdraw, a large crowd follows him to a desolate place. Jesus feels compassion for them, seeing them as lost sheep without a shepherd, and begins to teach them.
c. AD 28— this verse
Late Afternoon and Disciples' Concern
As the day draws to a close, the disciples notice the desolate location and the lateness of the hour, prompting them to voice their concern to Jesus about feeding the multitude.
This passage recounts the same miracle of feeding the five thousand, offering additional details like Philip's question about buying bread and Andrew's identification of the boy with the loaves and fishes, enriching our understanding of the disciples' perspective and the disciples' interaction with Jesus.
Matthew 14:15-21This parallel account also describes the feeding of the five thousand, emphasizing Jesus' compassion for the hungry crowd and providing the disciples' initial response to provide food, which mirrors the situation in Mark 6:35.
Psalm 78:19-20This Old Testament passage speaks of God providing food in the wilderness, echoing the theme of divine provision for His people in desolate places, which directly relates to Jesus meeting the physical needs of the crowd in Mark 6.
Exodus 16:1-15This narrative details God miraculously providing manna for the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai, demonstrating a historical precedent of God sustaining His people when they are in a 'desolate place' and facing scarcity, much like the crowd Jesus encountered.
1 Kings 17:7-16The story of the widow of Zarephath sharing her last bit of flour and oil with Elijah highlights the theme of scarce resources being miraculously multiplied by God's power, mirroring the disciples' concern over their limited provisions and Jesus' subsequent miracle.
pooleMark 6:35: "And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:"
Ver. 35-44. We meet with the relation of this miracle Matthew 14:15-21 , and shall again meet with it John 6:1-14 . John relates it with some more particular circumstances, telling us it was Philip that moved our Saviour to dismiss them so seasonably, that they might provide themselves food, and making Christ to propound the questions to Philip, where t…
barnesMark 6:35: "And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:"
The time is far passed - The day is almost gone. It is drawing near night.
The disciples tell Jesus it's a desolate place and the hour is late, but the real issue they're highlighting is their own lack of resources and perceived inability to solve the problem. They're focused on the logistical impossibility of feeding so many, overlooking Jesus' own power to provide.
Jesus and his disciples had just returned from a mission trip where they had been teaching and healing people. Exhausted, Jesus invited them to a quiet, deserted place to rest. However, a large crowd had followed them, and Jesus, moved with compassion, began to teach and heal them. As the day wore on, the disciples became concerned about the people's hunger and the lateness of the hour, realizing they were in a remote location with no food readily available.
Jesus and his disciples had just returned from a mission trip where they had been teaching and healing people. Exhausted, Jesus invited them to a quiet, deserted place to rest. However, a large crowd had followed them, and Jesus, moved with compassion, began to teach and heal them. As the day wore on, the disciples became concerned about the people's hunger and the lateness of the hour, realizing they were in a remote location with no food readily available.
"And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late." — The disciples tell Jesus it's a desolate place and the hour is late, but the real issue they're highlighting is their own lack of resources and perceived inability to solve the problem. They're focus…
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Last reviewed October 2026