Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 14:22

"And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away." — Matthew 14:22 (ASV)

Jesus “made” (lit., “compelled”; GK 337) the disciples go on ahead of him, probably because (1) he wanted to be alone to pray (v.23); (2) he wanted to escape the crowd with his disciples to get some rest (Mark 6:31–32); and (3) he may even have wanted to tame a messianic uproar .