And having dismissed the multitude, he went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, he was there alone.
και απολυσας τους οχλους ανεβη εις το ορος κατ ιδιαν προσευξασθαι οψιας δε γενομενης μονος ην εκει
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Why does the Lord ascend the mountain? It is to demonstrate the value of the desert and solitude for communion with God. For this reason, He frequently retreats into the wilderness and dedicates entire nights to prayer, guiding us to select appropriate times and places for serene conversation with God. The wilderness embodies silence, serving as a sanctuary that protects us from all turmoil.
The Lord ascends the mountain to illustrate the importance of focused prayer. He acts for our benefit, yet has no requirement for prayer Himself. By praying throughout the night, He instructs us to persist in prayer, particularly during the quiet hours, when there is stillness all around.
“Look,” he proclaims, “on the mountains are the footsteps of the messenger” (Nahum 1:15). The prophet clarifies who this messenger is, saying: “who proclaims ... peace.” To whom? - to the nations. “He declared,” he says, “peace to the peoples” (Zech. 9:10). “Rejoice, O people of Judah, in your annual celebration ...” (cf. Nahum 1:15), for during the feast of unleavened bread, the Lord demonstrated a sign on the loaves. The prophet urges, “rejoice, O Judah, in your annual celebration ...” for our festival has arrived. And “fulfill your pledge ... yours,” since the true Lamb has come, the ancient covenant has been set aside, and its honors have been abolished. “For there will no longer be iniquity among you” (cf. Nahum 1:15). By whose authority? - The power of rulers or priests. Why will it cease? - Because God has put an end to it. “Every authority of rulers and priests brings destruction” (cf. Nahum 1:15).
Had the disciples Peter, James, and John, who witnessed the radiance of His transfiguration, accompanied Him, they too might have ascended the mountain. However, a multitude can only reach the heights when He enlightens them by the shoreline or nourishes them in the desert. That He alone retreated to pray should not be seen as separate from Him who, in His divine nature, multiplied five loaves to feed five thousand men, not counting women and children, but rather as His human side, which sought solitude upon hearing of John’s demise. This distinction does not imply a division of the Lord's essence but rather illustrates how His actions reflect both His divine and human natures.
The mountain serves as an ideal location for prayer, and the solitude of night offers a clear and serene environment for reflection.
Given the opportunity to demonstrate the value of solitude, silence, prayer, and meditation, it was essential for Him to ascend the mountain and engage in private prayer there.
When Jesus Christ, in His humanity and as our High Priest, raised intercessions to the Father on our behalf, He first sent the crowds away. He then ascended the mountain, where He remained in solitude, praying until the evening. In doing so, He instructed every believer that, when it is time to pray, one should first set aside earthly concerns and desires, and then elevate their thoughts to the heavenly realms, ‘that God has pleased to dwell in it’ (Psalm 67:17), allowing them to present their prayers to God like a sanctified censer. The Lord continued His prayers until dusk, teaching us that it is not haste but rather perseverance and patience that are essential during our moments of prayer. The Lord extended His communion with the Father until evening;
As twilight deepened at sunset, He took leave of His disciples and, with gentle assurance, calmed the crowd, encouraging them to disperse. Once the people had departed, He ascended the mountain to seek solitude in prayer. The death of His beloved Baptist signified to Him that His own sufferings were imminent, yet prior to this, He had already endured numerous labors and afflictions in the face of the Pharisees' stubbornness. In the stillness of the night, He desired to fortify His humanity through heartfelt communion with His heavenly Father. By His divine example, He instructs us that when it is time to pray, we should set aside earthly distractions and elevate our thoughts to heaven, allowing our prayers to rise to God like an aromatic offering.
He devoted nearly the entire night to prayer, exemplifying patience and dedication in this sacred endeavor. There He remained, isolated on the lonely mountain. St. Chrysostom inquires, "Why does the Lord ascend the mountain?" and answers: "To demonstrate the value of solitude and quiet places when calling upon God." Such environments, particularly at night, foster a spirit of tranquil prayer. For the wilderness is a cradle of silence, a refuge that offers us relief from all turmoil.
An incredible wonder transpired in front of a multitude of thousands! This miraculous event was not only witnessed by the people but also felt by them, leaving no room for skepticism. The impact on the crowds surrounding Jesus was profound, prompting them to exclaim: ‘This is indeed the Prophet who must come into the world (John 6:14), meaning the Messiah. If He is the Messiah, then He must be the King destined to conquer the world and reign eternally; why does He hesitate to reveal Himself as King? The Passover is near, and Jews from all corners of the earth will converge in Jerusalem; let us take Him there to proclaim Him King and free ourselves from the oppressive Roman rule.’ Such was likely the collective mindset of the throng that gathered around Jesus.
Their enthusiasm was palpable, and they were eager to enact this plan, yet Jesus managed to calm them and depart peacefully. As the crowd began to become restless, He compelled His disciples to enter a boat and journey to the other side of the sea, while He himself approached the crowd, soothed their restlessness, and dismissed them, afterwards retreating up a mountain to pray alone.
From John’s account, one might infer that Jesus withdrew to the mountain as soon as He became aware of their desire to declare Him King. Yet, this interpretation would clash with the narratives of other Evangelists, who provide additional details regarding Jesus' retreat. Matthew and Mark both note that Jesus compelled His disciples to board the boat and set sail while He stayed behind to send the multitude away (Mk. 6:45). After dispersing the crowd, He ascended the mountain to pray, as detailed by Matthew; or as Mark recounts, He went up to pray after dismissing them (Mk. 6:46). Furthermore, it cannot be assumed that Jesus, who came to redeem humanity from sin and to sacrifice His life for them, would seek to hide from a fervent crowd capable of impulsive actions. It stands to reason that He, having fed thousands with five loaves and two fish, could quell their frenzy; He who had commanded the raging seas and survived the mob in Nazareth, certainly could approach the people on the shore and calm their agitated spirits with His word. Thus, He let the multitude depart before going up the mountain to pray.
There is no inconsistency between John’s narrative and those of Matthew and Mark. Specifically, Johns Gospel lacks mention of Jesus compelling the Apostles to take the boat across the sea, merely stating that they went down to the sea at dusk and embarked on their journey. He refrains from discussing this compulsion and the dismissal of the crowd not due to any absence of these events but because he chose not to elaborate on the specific details of the miracle involving the feeding of the masses with five loaves. In his Gospel, John aims to complement the accounts of the earlier Evangelists, either omitting certain details that had already been thoroughly covered or briefly recounting them to establish context for subsequent events not reported by the others. This is evident in the subsequent dialogue by Jesus regarding the bread of life, which is uniquely narrated by John, as it was necessary to link it with the preceding miracle of feeding the thousands. By recognizing the people's desire to proclaim Jesus as King, John supplements the narratives of the other Gospel writers without reiterating their earlier works.
Thus, Jesus indeed was meant to be acknowledged as King, the Messiah foretold by the prophets. But why did He retreat from this recognition? Why did He not allow the people to affirm Him openly as the Messiah? This reluctance stemmed from the fact that both the crowd and even His closest disciples, including the Apostles, held distorted views of the Messiah. They envisioned Him as a terrestrial, conquering King who would triumph over the world for the sake of the Jewish people. The concept of a spiritual kingdom, not of this world, had not yet entered their minds. Therefore, to proclaim Jesus as King, in light of their understanding of His kingdom, would have merely incited an insurrection against Roman authority.
The Apostles, naturally sympathetic to the crowd's desire to elevate Jesus as King, could easily become swept up in the collective excitement and join them. To prevent this, Jesus immediately instructed them to board a boat and cross to the opposite shore without Him, while He remained with the congregation. Following His directive, the Apostles journeyed alone to the other side of the sea. John notes that they traveled to Capernaum; Mark indicates that Jesus compelled His disciples to sail to Bethsaida, while Matthew simply mentions the opposing side of the sea. There rests a question of where the Apostles actually went and where the miraculous feeding occurred. Following the news of the death of His forerunner, Jesus retreated with His Apostles to a deserted location near Bethsaida (Luke 9:10), where crowds pursued Him. Since the Apostles returned by boat either toward Capernaum or Bethsaida, which lay on the same shore, it follows that Jesus, after receiving the news, withdrew to a secluded area called Bethsaida-Juliea in the northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Meanwhile, the Apostles were transported alone to the northwestern shore, which featured the nearby cities of seaside Bethsaida and Capernaum. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the miracle of feeding thousands took place on the desolate northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, closest to Bethsaida-Juliea.
In this manner, as the darkness deepened, He subtly and gradually encouraged the crowds to disperse. Once all except the most devoted had retreated to their homes or shelters, He unexpectedly departed from the remaining individuals and ascended quickly to the summit of the mountain to seek solitude in prayer. He sensed that a grave and significant turning point was approaching in His earthly life, and in seeking communion with His heavenly Father, He aimed to fortify His spirit for the challenging tasks that lay ahead and the trials of the weeks to come. Previously, He had spent a night engaged in solitary prayer amidst the stillness of the mountains, but that had been prior to the calling of the cherished apostles and the initial signs of His fruitful ministry.
The feelings accompanying the Great High Priest as He ascended the rugged terrain to that awe-inspiring mountain altar were markedly different. The death of His beloved precursor intensified the awareness of His own approaching demise. The howling storm that began to rage across the mountains, the wind tumultuously gusting through the ravines, the agitated lake before Him with its foamy waves, and the boat being tossed violently by the fierce currents, all illuminated by the moonlight piercing through the clouds, mirrored His current state of mind. Yet, on this desolate mountaintop during the tumultuous night, He could find nourishment, tranquility, and indescribable bliss, for there He was in the presence of God alone.
He ascended the mountain to pray in solitude. The reason for the Lord’s ascent is to demonstrate the value of the wilderness and isolation when we seek communion with God. Frequently, He retreats to the desolate areas, often spending entire nights in prayer, guiding us to select moments and environments that encourage serene communication with God. The wilderness serves as a nurturing ground for tranquility, rest, and refuge, protecting us from all worries.
This extraordinary event left a profound impact on all who witnessed it, leading them to proclaim about Jesus Christ, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world," signifying the Messiah. In their anticipation of an earthly kingdom associated with the Messiah, they sought to forcibly make Him their king. Upon hearing of their intentions, the Lord sought to retreat to a quiet place. He urged His disciples to board a boat and set sail immediately to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, specifically to Capernaum or Bethsaida of Galilee, despite the approach of night. The disciples obeyed, while Jesus Himself withdrew from the crowd and ascended a mountain to pray alone, remaining there solitary as evening fell.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS