Matthew 8:18

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

Matthew 8:18 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
English Standard Version (ESV)
18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
New Living Translation (NLT)
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.
The Message Bible (MSG)
18 When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the other side of the lake.
American Standard Version (ASV)
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandments to depart unto the other side.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
18 Now, when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he ordered [his disciples] to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
18 When Jesus saw large crowds around Him, He gave the order to go to the other side [of the sea].
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
18 Jesus saw the crowd around him. So he gave his disciples orders to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

Matthew 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 8:18

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.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Pesikta in Abkath Rochel, l. 1. par. 2. p. 205. Ed. Huls.

Matthew 8:18 In-Context

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Cross References 1

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