Matthew 14: 13-14 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick (NIV).
It is a rare day when I write a second time about the same passage. Yet in my last piece I focused on what the people did. Here I want to elaborate on what Jesus did.
This action took place before Jesus fed thousands of people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, which was an event recorded by all four “gospel” writers. (And Jesus would do such a miracle a second time.)
2000 years ago, the writing resources of papyri, or velum, was limited. Writing had to be “economical,” thus authors were more select on the details they gave. Since some of the “gospel” authors gave additional details, we get a fuller picture of this event by reading all four accounts.
Bethsaida was the solitary place Jesus sailed to, which we learn from Luke. We also learn from Mark and Luke that when Jesus traveled on the lake (called the Sea of Galilee) seeking solitude, the twelve apostles joined Him. Jesus expressed to the Twelve His desire for them to rest: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).
I find it interesting Matthew does not give this detail. I think Matthew was trying to emphasize that Jesus wanted to mourn the death of John the Baptist when simply stating that He sought solitude.
But the plans of Jesus were interrupted. Probably over ten thousand people pursued Jesus. Mark gives the detail that many “ran” (6:33), and many even arrived at the landing point before Jesus and the disciples.
Even though the objective to get some rest, and to provide some rest for His apostles, was interrupted, Jesus persevered with His mission.
Having engaged in a detailed study of Matthew ever since October of 2020, I have pondered and written about the mission of Jesus which Matthew clearly stated twice:
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35).
In spite of the interruption, there on the shore of a lake, His mission continued.
As recorded by Matthew: “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (14:14).
As recorded by Mark: “…So he began teaching them many things” (6:34).
As recorded by the doctor Luke: “…[Jesus] welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing” (9:11).
Note that John skips what happened when the boat docked, and proceeds to Jesus walking up a mountainside to a remote area in that region.
And we know of His ultimate perseverance as Jesus persevered with His ultimate mission of being the atonement for sins.
Learning of the perseverance of Jesus, be encouraged to keep doing, or to start doing, what Jesus has commanded us to do: Preach the Gospel; baptize believers; and teach people about the revelations of God, teachings, which when applied, will bring healing for a person’s heart.
Hunter Irvine
