John Calvin Commentary John 6:25

"And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?" — John 6:25 (ASV)

On the other side of the sea. We have already said that Capernaum was not situated on the opposite shore; for Tiberias is situated on that part of the lake where it is broadest, Bethsaida follows next, and Capernaum lies near the lowest part, not far from where the River Jordan issues from the lake.

Now, when John places it on the other side of the lake itself, we must not understand him to mean its position was directly across. Rather, he describes it this way because at the lower extremity, the lake formed a large winding, and on account of the bay that intervened, it was impossible to go by land without a very circuitous journey. The Evangelist therefore says on the other side of the sea, adopting the mode of expression used by the common people, because the only direct and ordinary mode of conveyance was by a boat.