Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
To Bethsaida (prov Bhqsaidan). This is Bethsaida on the Western side, not Bethsaida Julias on the Eastern side where they had just been (Luke 9:10).
While he himself sendeth the multitude away (ewv autov apoluei ton oxlon). Matthew 14:22 has it "till he should send away" (ewv ou apolush) with the aorist subjunctive of purpose. Mark with the present indicative apoluei pictures Jesus as personally engaged in persuading the crowds to go away now. John 6:41 f. explains this activity of Jesus. The crowds had become so excited that they were in the mood to start a revolution against the Roman government and proclaim Jesus king. He had already forced in reality the disciples to leave in a boat
to go before him (proagein) in order to get them out of this atmosphere of overwrought excitement with a political twist to the whole conception of the Messianic Kingdom. They were in grave danger of being swept off their feet and falling heedlessly into the Pharisaic conception and so defeating the whole teaching and training of Jesus with them. See on Matthew 14:22-23. To this pass things had come one year before the Crucifixion. He had done his best to help and bless the crowds and lost his chance to rest. No one really understood Jesus, not the crowds, not the disciples. Jesus needed the Father to stay and steady him. The devil had come again to tempt him with world dominion in league with the Pharisees, the populace, and the devil in the background.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Mark 6:45:
Matthew 14:22
Mark 6:36
John 1:44
John 6:1
John 6:15
John 6:16
John 6:22
John 12:21
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