Mark 6:45 (AV)
And straightway¹
he constrained² his disciples³
to get into the ship,
and to go⁴ to the other side⁵
before⁴ unto Bethsaida⁶,
while⁷ he sent away⁸ the people⁹.
¹) Immediately.
²) To compel, drive to.
³) Pupils.
⁴) To go before, preceding.
⁵) Beyond, on the other side.
⁶) The name is of Aramaic origin and means “house of fish”. It is a small fishing village on the west shore of Lake Gennesaret, home of Andrew, Peter, Philip and John.
⁷) Till, until.
⁸) To let go, dismiss, to bid depart, send away.
⁹) The crowd, the multitude.
Other translations:
And at once He insisted that the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He was sending the throng away. [AMP] Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. [ESV] And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. [KJV] Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. [NIV] Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and head out across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. [NLT] Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. [NKJV]
Some further information:
The faithful servants of God after their labour are subject to a great tempest which Christ, being present in power although absent in body, moderates in such a way that He brings them to a happy haven, at such time and by such means as they did not expect: A graphic image of the Church tossed to and fro in this world.
A very new part begins with this verse (Mark 6:45-56).
Mark tells us about a miracle that took place on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Matthew 14:22-36; John 6:16-21).
With the word ‘eutheos’, which is so characteristic of him, (meaning immediately), the evangelist connects this part with the preceding one (cf. Matthew 14:22).
After the event of the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6:30-44), Jesus again sought silence (Mark 6:46). When that special meal was over, He forced His disciples to get into the ship immediately.
It had already become dusk (Mark 6:35) and a new field of activity awaited Him (see Mark 6:53-56). They had to sail in the direction of Bethsaida. He Himself would follow as soon as He dismissed the crowd (compare John 6:15).
But only after a few detours Jesus and his disciples would arrive in Betsaida. (Mark 8:22).
Constrained
The word “constrained” implies reluctance on their part, perhaps from unwillingness to part with their Master and embark at night, leaving Him alone on the mountain.
Go to the other side before unto Bethsaida.
John ( John 6:17 ) says, “went over the sea towards Capernaum.”
Capernaum was the ultimate point to be reached; but on the way there they were to sail along the coast in a northwest direction, and touch at Bethsaida of Galilee ( John 12:21 ), take into the boat Jesus, who would go there by land, and then sail southwest to Capernaum.
Bethsaida
The meaning of the name Bethsaida is “House of fish”.
- Bethsaida was a town in Galilee, on the west side of the sea of Tiberias, in the “land of Gennesaret.” It was the native place of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, and was frequently resorted to by Jesus (Mark 6:45; John 1:44, 12:21)
It is supposed to have been at the modern ‘Ain Tabighah, a bay to the north of Gennesaret. - Bethsaida was a city near which Christ fed 5,000 (Luke 9:10; comp. John 6:17; Matthew 14:15–21, and where the blind man had his sight restored Mark 8:22. It was located on the east side of the lake, two miles up the Jordan. It stood within the region of Gaulonitis, and was enlarged by Philip the tetrarch, who called it “Julias,” after the emperor’s daughter.
Or, as some have supposed, there may have been but one Bethsaida built on both sides of the lake, near where the Jordan enters it. Now the ruins et–Tel.
While he sent away the people
“the multitude.” His object in this was to put an end to the misdirected excitement in His favor ( John 6:15 ), into which the disciples themselves may have been somewhat drawn.
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