Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him
Who got together, partly out of novelty to see his person, of
whom they had heard so much; and partly to see the miracles he
wrought: some came to have their bodily diseases healed; few, if
any, to hear the Gospel preached by him, and for the good of
their immortal souls: the most part came with some sinister,
selfish, and carnal views, wherefore
he gave commandment to depart unto the other
side.
Different were the reasons, which at certain times moved Christ
to depart from the multitude; as that he might have an
opportunity of private prayer, or to preach, to others, or to
show he sought not popular applause, and to avoid seditions: his
reasons here seem to be with respect to himself, that being
wearied as man, with the work of the day, he might have an
opportunity of refreshing himself with sleep; with respect to his
disciples, that he might have a trial of their faith, when in
danger at sea; and with respect to the multitude, because of
their carnality, and sole concern for their temporal, and worldly
good. The persons he gave commandment to, must be either the
multitude, or the disciples; not the former, because he
studiously avoided their company, and his concern was to be rid
of them; but the latter, and so the Vulgate Latin and Munster's
Hebrew Gospel read, "he commanded his disciples". The place he
would have them go to was, the other side of the lake of
Tiberias, or Genesareth; not over the river Euphrates, as says
the author of the old Nizzachon F25.