22 “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.” (Matthew 14:22–24 (ESV)
Immediately following Jesus’ miracle in feeding over 20,000 people (Matt. 14:13-21), He compelled His disciples get into their boat while He dismissed the crowds. He instructed the twelve to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the western shore town of Bethsaida (Mark 6:45; Matt. 11:21). The phase He made (ἀναγκάζω; anankazo) could imply that the disciples were reluctant to leave Jesus behind.
Jesus dismissed the crowds. This could have taken some time seeing how many were in attendance and that they also desired to make Him their king (John 6:15-21). Following this, Jesus went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. The entire eastern side of the Sea of Galilee is mountainous containing many slopes and plateaus. This would have been an ideal and isolated location for prayer.
“Being fully aware of the weaknesses of his own disciples, for whom cooperation with the throng in it unholy political planning constituted a real temptation (Matt. 20:20; Acts 1:6), the Lord first of all cause his constant companions to get into a boat and to go ahead of him to the other side,” explains commentator Dr. William Hendricksen.
Today’s text does not tell us when Jesus went up on the mountain to pray. All it does say is that when evening came, Jesus was there alone. Perhaps others had followed Him only to retreat back to their villages with the advent of nightfall. Jesus wanted to be by Himself.
“During his earthly sojourn, Jesus spent much time in prayer. He prayed in lonely places, on a hill, in Gethsemane; in the morning, in the evening, sometimes all night (Mark 1:35; 6:46; Luke 5:15-16; 6:12; 9:18; 23:41-42; Heb. 5:7),” states Dr. Hendricksen.
Meanwhile, the disciples were still in their boat and a long way from the shore. This was because they encountered rough seas on the lake. The swells continually tormented and stressed the boat, and presumably the disciples. This was because they were sailing against the wind in order to reach shore. Mark recorded that they were making headway painfully (Mark 6:48).
“Normally in traveling across the northern end of the lake they would have been within 1 or 2 miles of shore. But on that occasion, the wind had carried the boat several miles south, closer to the center of the lake (cf. Matt. 14:24),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
As often was the case on the Sea of Galilee, an intense storm was against the disciples (Matt. 8:23-27). However, this time Jesus was not in the boat with the disciples. Mark recorded that Jesus, alone on the shore, saw that the boat was in troubling seas (Mark 6:47).
This scene would set the stage for another revelatory miracle by the Lord. The purpose of which was to show His power, presence and person. He does so today. Do we have the eyes, ears and discernment to notice?
Soli deo Gloria!
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