Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The word "constrained" suggests the disciples were reluctant to leave Jesus alone, especially at dusk in a deserted place. This highlights their deep loyalty and affection, showing they valued his presence and protection so much they hesitated to obey his command to depart without him.
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh off feeding thousands, Jesus immediately sends his disciples across the sea, pushing them to go ahead while he dismisses the crowds. This separation sets the stage for two distinct encounters: Jesus withdrawing to pray alone on the mountain, and the disciples facing a fierce storm on the water without him.
Why would Jesus 'constrain' his disciples, forcing them to leave? It sounds harsh, but the text reveals a deeper, loving purpose behind this command.
The word "constrained" here doesn't mean Jesus used harsh force. Instead, it suggests a strong urging or compelling, especially since the disciples were reluctant to leave him.
Jesus, having just performed an incredible miracle, immediately withdraws. Why would he seek solitude when the crowds were still buzzing and his disciples were leaving?
Jesus’s departure into the mountain to pray after feeding the five thousand highlights the vital importance of private prayer, even in the midst of ministry success.
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The disciples faced a fierce storm, their boat tossed and winds against them. Though they had just witnessed an astonishing display of Jesus' power, they were terrified. What does this reveal about faith?
The disciples' fear in the storm, despite witnessing the miracle of the loaves, reveals a common human struggle: the gap between knowing God’s power and fully trusting it in the moment of crisis.
Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
A term used to describe Jesus' followers, emphasizing their role as students or apprentices who learn from and imitate their teacher. Biblically, it signifies a dedicated commitment to Christ's teachings and mission.
The disciples' reluctance to leave Jesus alone, especially after witnessing the feeding miracle and with a crowd pressing in, highlights their loyalty but also their incomplete understanding. Jesus compels them to go, not just to escape the political pressure from the crowd, but to create space for His own prayer and to prepare them for a divine encounter that would test and strengthen their faith in His power.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
Jesus miraculously feeds over five thousand men with five loaves and two fish, a powerful sign that deeply impressed the crowd.
c. AD 27-30
Crowd Seeks to Make Jesus King
The people, awed by the miracle, wanted to force Jesus to become their political and military leader, a temptation He actively avoided.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus Dismisses the Multitude
To escape the crowd's pressure and prevent them from seizing Him, Jesus sends the people away after the feeding miracle.
c. AD 27-30
Disciples Sent Across the Lake
Jesus directs His disciples to immediately set sail for the other side of the Sea of Galilee, likely towards Bethsaida or Capernaum.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus Prays Alone on the Mountain
After the disciples depart and the crowds disperse, Jesus withdraws to a mountain to pray in solitude.
c. AD 27-30
Disciples Battle Contrary Winds
While Jesus prays, the disciples' boat is caught in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, struggling to make headway against strong winds.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus Walks on Water
During the storm, Jesus comes to the struggling disciples by walking on the surface of the sea, an event that initially terrifies them.
This passage describes the same event, noting Jesus sent the disciples toward Bethsaida, offering a slightly different geographical detail and emphasizing the disciples' likely reluctance to leave Jesus.
John 6:15This verse provides the immediate context for why Jesus needed to dismiss the crowds and send the disciples away, as the people were planning to make him king by force.
Matthew 14:23This verse directly follows, showing Jesus' immediate withdrawal to a mountain to pray alone, highlighting His reliance on prayer even as His disciples faced a storm.
1 Timothy 2:8While not a narrative event, this verse speaks to the importance of prayer, connecting to Jesus' subsequent action and the disciples' need for divine help in their trial.
calvinMatthew 14:22-33: "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away."
- And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to embark, and to go before him to the opposite bank, till he had sent away the multitudes. 23. And when he had sent away the multitudes, he went up into a mountain alone to pray; and when the evening came, he was there alone. 24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tosse…
barnesMatthew 14:22: "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away."
And straightway Jesus constrained ... - See Mark 6:45-56 ; John 6:15-21 . The word "straightway" means immediately; that is, as soon as the fragments were gathered up. To "constrain" usually means to compel. It here means to command. There was no need of compulsion. They were at this time on the east side of the Lake of Gennesareth. He…
The word "constrained" suggests the disciples were reluctant to leave Jesus alone, especially at dusk in a deserted place. This highlights their deep loyalty and affection, showing they valued his presence and protection so much they hesitated to obey his command to depart without him.
Fresh off feeding thousands, Jesus immediately sends his disciples across the sea, pushing them to go ahead while he dismisses the crowds. This separation sets the stage for two distinct encounters: Jesus withdrawing to pray alone on the mountain, and the disciples facing a fierce storm on the water without him.
Fresh off feeding thousands, Jesus immediately sends his disciples across the sea, pushing them to go ahead while he dismisses the crowds. This separation sets the stage for two distinct encounters: Jesus withdrawing to pray alone on the mountain, and the disciples facing a fierce storm on the water without him.
"Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds." — The word "constrained" suggests the disciples were reluctant to leave Jesus alone, especially at dusk in a deserted place. This highlights their deep loyalty and affection, showing they valued his pr…
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Last reviewed October 2026