Mark 1:35

In the morning a great while before day - By πρωΐ, the morning, is to be understood the whole space of three hours, which finished the fourth watch of the night.

And there prayed - Not that he needed any thing, for in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; but that he might be a pattern to us. Every thing that our blessed Lord did he performed either as our pattern, or as our sacrifice.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day - Luke says Luke 4:42, "when it was day." The passage in Mark means, in the original, not literally "a great while before day," but very early, or while there was yet "much appearance of night." The place in Luke means "at daybreak," at the beginning of day. Then, also, there is much appearance of night; and Luke and Mark therefore refer to the same time before it was fully light, or just at daybreak.

And departed into a solitary place, and there prayed - Observe here:

1. that the Saviour, though perfectly holy, regarded the duty of secret prayer as of great importance.

2. that he, sought a solitary place for it - far away from the world and even from his disciples.

3. that it was early in the morning - always the best time, and a time when it should not be omitted.

4. if Jesus prayed, how much more important is it for us!

If Jesus did it in the morning, how much more important is it for us, before the world gets possession of our thoughts; before Satan fills us with unholy feelings; when we rise fresh from beds of repose, and while the world around us is still! David also thus prayed, Psalm 5:3; Psalm 119:147. He that wishes to enjoy religion will seek a place of secret prayer in the morning. If that is omitted, all will go wrong, our piety will wither. The world will fill our thoughts. Temptations will be strong. Through the day, we shall find it impossible to raise our feelings to a state of proper devotion. It will be found to be true universally, "that the religious enjoyment through the day will be according to the state of the heart in the morning, and can therefore be measured by our faithfulness in early secret prayer." How different, too, was the conduct of the Saviour from those who spend the precious hours of the morning in sleep! He knew the value of the morning hours; he rose while the world was still; he saw the light as it spread abroad in the east with fresh tokens of his Father's presence, and joined with the universal creation in offering praise to the everywhere present God.

1:35 Rising a great while before day - So did he labour for us, both day and night. Luke 4:42 .