Architecture: MVC based web-apps around a REST interface

I'm not sure how to phrase my question....

From different sources I pick up the idea that it makes sense to build web applications around a REST interface. A REST service could execute some controller logic (validations, database-access, etc) and then return a (static) *.xhtml resource. Combined with a decent javascript framework, this html page could complete itself by issuing the approriate AJAX calls.

Intuitively I see value in this (it feels more lightweight than a server-side document model like in JS开发者_StackOverflow中文版F), but I also feel like I'm missing the complete picture here. What 'they' are referring to, is that simply Struts or Spring MVC with a REST sauce?

Do you see what I mean? Can somebody put these idea's in perspective? Point to a resource that explains the approach I'm trying to grasp? What are the roots?

Thank you for helping me to clarify all this! J.

Names coined in this context are SOFEA and SOUI.