Going to the Other Side - Matthew 14:22

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus fed the multitude, and “they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children”, and in chapter fourteen and verse twenty-two of his book, Matthew wrote how Jesus tells His disciples, “to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and straightway” which means “and forthwith and immediately” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “constrained” which means “compelled, forced and entreated” “his disciples” which refers to “Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “to get into a ship” or “to step into a sailing vessel or boat”. Matthew shared how Jesus “entreated” His “disciples” to “step into” a boat after feeding the “five thousand men plus women and children”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.” Matthew continued with the words, “and to go before him” which means “and to lead forward, previous and preceding Jesus” “unto the other side” or “across, farther and toward the opposite side of the lake”, “while” which means “until or during the time” “he sent” or “Jesus set free and dismissed” “the multitudes away” which means “the crowd of people”. Matthew shared how Jesus instructed His “disciples” to sail in the boat to the other side of the lake while He dismissed the multitudes.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus sent His disciples on a specific mission while He tended to the crowd of people. They were instructed to “go to the other side” of the lake, and they were to precede His arrival there later. God desires a loving relationship with people that is dependent upon Him giving instructions and His followers obeying. The disciples obeyed Jesus, and Jesus was in complete control. Perhaps the Lord will ask some who are reading these words to “venture out” according to His desire, and when He does, obedience will be security to anyone who trusts in, relies upon and clings to God's Son Jesus in the process.

Next time we see Matthew shares how Jesus, “went up into a mountain apart to pray”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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