83 – Disciples Return and Then Withdraw With Jesus; Matthew 14:13-14, Mark 6:30-34, Luke 9:10-11, John 6:1-3
Matthew 14:13 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. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mark 6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
John 6:1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples
Commentary
Jesus’s response to the people here is a gut check to those of us who let our circumstances dictate our attitudes. Jesus was grieving the loss of His cousin and a great man of God, He was eager to remove Himself from both Herod’s potentially dangerous intentions toward Him and the public’s fanaticism about Him, and He had clearly intended to unplug for a while to rest. He also recognized that the disciples would be tired after their evangelical tour, and He invited them to come along for a respite, as well. When the people so persistently pursued Him, He could have been very annoyed and might have felt justified in turning them away. However, He instead felt compassion for them, and He put aside His own pain and exhaustion in order to heal and teach them. Mark says Jesus saw the people as sheep without a shepherd, and, since I do not personally identify with the shepherd metaphor, I liken this to the perspective of a parent who hasn’t had any sleep and is desperate for rest, but the children are sick and need care. They can’t be held accountable for their role in the parent’s exhaustion, and they can’t be left to fend for themselves. So the parent does what he or she must, and foregoes sleep yet again.
I’d like to explore each of the possible motives for Jesus’s retreat. First, He was grieving. It is unlikely that Jesus and John were well-acquainted when they were growing up, but Mary probably told Jesus the story of John jumping in Elizabeth’s womb. The two of them met as adults when Jesus went to be baptized, and Jesus was very vocal about the importance of John’s role in preceding Him. He also admired John’s resolute commitment to the lifestyle and message which were the calling on his life. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you’” (Luke 7:24-27). This message was delivered to the crowd immediately after John sent his question from prison about Jesus’s authenticity, and Jesus did not rebuke him, but patiently responded. Not only did Jesus acknowledge John’s contribution to the work of the kingdom, but He allowed John’s question, as it was John’s honest desire to affirm that he had been properly attending the voice of God and that his work was complete. All this to say Jesus would have been moved by the death of His cousin for many reasons. Being fully God, He knew the cost of the gospel and the beautiful redemption it would bring, but being fully man, He grieved the tragedy of John’s unjust and painful end.
As I mentioned Jesus may also have been searching for a safe haven in the wake of John’s death. “When Jesus heard of it,… Of the death of John, and of the cruel usage he had met with; and particularly, that his fame had reached the court of Herod, and that he was talked of there, and said by Herod himself to be John the Baptist, that was risen from the dead; he departed thence by ship, into a desert place apart; to avoid Herod, though not through fear of death; but because his time was not yet come: which may teach us, that it is lawful to shun dangers, when there is an opportunity; which may be done, without betraying truth, or sacrificing a good conscience” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible). “He never threw himself unnecessarily into danger. It was proper that he should secure his life until the appointed time had come for him to die… He went to the country east of the sea, into a place little inhabited. Luke says (Luke 9:10) he went to a place called Bethsaida… “A desert place” means a place little cultivated, where there were few or no inhabitants. On the east of the Sea of Galilee there was a large tract of country of this description rough, uncultivated, and chiefly used to pasture flocks” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible). Jesus specifically chose a place where it was unlikely He would encounter anyone, as this solitude would facilitate both His safety and His repose.
Of Jesus’s need for rest, the gospel writers gave several accounts throughout His ministry. Generally, He withdrew to spend time with the Father, either on the heels or on the cusp of a big event that sapped (or would sap) His strength. In this case, He had just finished a period of intense ministry when He and the disciples had gone separately to evangelize in the surrounding area. Their work generated a lot of fame and frenzy, and while the disciples were eager to tell Jesus everything that had happened to each of them, the people were still pressing on the group so urgently that none of them had time to eat. Jesus recognized that all the men needed to attend to their physical and spiritual needs by retiring to someplace lonely for a while. Even those who are doing good work need rest. However, they had to find their second wind as the crowds discovered their plan and preceded them to their destination. Knowing that the disciples had not eaten and that the place Jesus had chosen was intentionally remote, we have set the stage for the next event the gospel writers recorded: the feeding of the five thousand.
References
Matthew 14:13
Matthew 14:12 Then John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. And they went and informed Jesus.
Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”
Mark 1:35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.
Luke 4:42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place, and the crowds were looking for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving.
Matthew 14:14
Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 9:36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 14:15 When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Mark 6:30
Matthew 10:2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Mark 3:14 He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,
Mark 6:29 When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
Luke 6:13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:
Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Luke 22:14 When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.
Mark 6:31
Mark 3:20 Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.
Mark 6:32
Mark 3:9 Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.
Mark 4:36 After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
Mark 6:45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.
Mark 6:51 Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
Mark 8:2 “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
Mark 6:34
Numbers 27:17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
1 Kings 22:17 So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.'”
2 Chronicles 18:16 So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.'”
Isaiah 13:14 Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
Ezekiel 34:5 They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts.
Zechariah 10:2 For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Luke 9:10
Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 9:11
Matthew 12:15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,
Luke 9:12 As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”
John 6:1
Matthew 4:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Luke 5:1 On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God,
John 6:23 However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
John 7:1 After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.
John 9:10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
John 6:2
Mark 1:45 But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news. Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.
John 2:11 Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
John 2:23 While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name.
John 3:2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.”
John 6:14 When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
John 6:22 The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone.
John 6:26 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
John 6:3
Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
Mark 3:13 Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.
Luke 6:12 In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.
Luke 9:28 About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray.
John 6:15 Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
On The Path 