Teaching And Returning

Καὶ συνάγονται οἱ ἀπόστολοι πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησαν καὶ ὅσα ἐδίδαξαν. Kαὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς: δεῦτε ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ κατ' ἰδίαν εἰς ἔρημον τόπον καὶ ἀναπαύσασθε ὀλίγον. ἦσαν γὰρ οἱ ἐρχόμενοι καὶ οἱ ὑπάγοντες πολλοί, καὶ οὐδὲ φαγεῖν εὐκαίρουν. καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κατ' ἰδίαν. Kαὶ εἶδον αὐτοὺς ὑπάγοντας καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν πολλοί, καὶ πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων συνέδραμον ἐκεῖ καὶ προῆλθον αὐτούς. Μεθὸ ἐκήρυξαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, συνάγονται πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν· ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μανθάνωμεν, ἐπειδὰν προβληθῶμεν εἰς διακονίαν τινὰ, μὴ ἀφηνιάζειν καὶ κατεπαίρεσθαι τοῦ προβαλλομένου, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνον εἰδέναι κεφαλὴν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπισρέθειν, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλειν αὐτῷ ὅσα ἤ ἐποιήσαμεν ἤ ἐδιδάξαμεν· χρὴ γὰρ μὴ μόνον διδάσκειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιεῖν· ἀναπαύει δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς, ἵνα πάλιν μάθωσιν οἱ προεστῶτες, τοὺς κοπιῶντας ἔν τε λόγῷ καὶ διασκαλίᾳ ἀναπαύσεως ἁξιοῦν, καὶ μὴ ἀεὶ κατατείνειν αὐτοὺς τοῖς πόνοις· εἰς ἔρημον δὲ τόπον ἀναχωρῶν, διὰ τὸ ἀφίλόδοξον, ὅμως οὐδ' ἐνταῦθα λανθάνει τοὺς ζητοῦντας αὐτόν. Ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἐγρηγόρουν, ἵνα μὴ διαφύγῃ αὐτοὺς, ὥστε καὶ προῆθλον αὐτοὺς, τουτέστι, προέφθασαν οἱ ὄχλοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τόν τόπον ἔνθα ἔμελλεν ἀναπαυθῆναι ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ σὺ προλάμβανε τὸν᾽Ιησοῦν, μὴ ἀναμένων, ἵνα ἐκεῖνός σε προσκαλέσηται. Ἀλλὰ προτρέχων, καὶ μᾶλλον σὺ πρόφθὰνων ἐκεῖνον. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατά Μάρκον, Κεφαλ. Ϛ’ Source: Migne PG 123.553b-d

And the Apostles gathered to Jesus, and they told Him everything, even what they have done and what they had taught. And He said to them, 'Come, let us go alone into a desert place and rest there a little while.' For many would come and go and they did not have food. And they sailed off alone to a desert place, but many saw them going, and many knew Him, and on foot, from every city, they hurried there and came before them. 1 After the Apostles preached they came to Jesus, whence we should also learn that after we have been sent out on ministry we should not cut ourselves off utterly from Him who sent us out and be as rebels against Him, but knowing Him to be the head, return to Him, declaring to Him everything which we have taught and done. For it is not enough to teach but even to act. And Christ made the disciples rest so that they might understand what was said before, that they who labour in word and teaching, are worthy of receiving rest, and should not always be intent on work. He withdrew to a deserted place so that he might ward off vainglory, but He was not trying to hide in that place from those who sought Him. Therefore the people observing it, lest He should be separated from them, even they came to them, that is, the crowds came before the Apostles, going out to the place to which Christ was withdrawing. Thus even you should come before Christ and not delay until He calls. But make haste before that to come to Him. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Mark, Chapter 6 1 Mk 6.30-33