Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matthew 14:22
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“And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat and precede Him to the beyond until which He dismissed the crowds” (CG).
The previous verse noted that those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Now that the meal was over, it next says, “And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat.”
A new word, anagkazó, to necessitate, compel, or constrain, is seen here. It is derived from the noun anagké, constraint, distress, etc. There is a sense of urgency in the word, as if the disciples were hesitant to enter the boat without Him. Matthew doesn’t give the reason for the constraint they were placed under. However, the same narrative in John 6 says –
“Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:14, 15
If this was the impetus in the mind of Matthew as he penned his gospel, one can see how the matter may have continued if the disciples had stayed. The people came to make Jesus king by force. How would things have turned out if the disciples had stayed?
Would they have sided with the masses and caused Jesus additional stress in shunning their advances? Would they have defended the Lord when He declined the advances, thus causing a brawl to break out? Whatever the reason, it appears that Matthew was remembering the day while not explaining the circumstances and noting the event with this new word. Because of Jesus’ instructions, it next says, “and precede Him to the beyond.”
In other words, they were to cross the Sea of Galilee, returning to the side they had left that morning. Thus, they would be leaving Him without a means of crossing. Despite this, He constrained them to go. He would stay behind, “until which He dismissed the crowds.”
Whatever the state of the crowds or the mindset of the disciples, it is evident that Jesus wanted to dismiss them personally and to also be alone in prayer. Hence, they were instructed to leave alone and head across.
Life application: It is certain that the disciples could have refused to get into the boat and do as instructed, but they were obedient to Jesus as their Master. The word of God, the Bible, is a word from the Lord that also constrains us. It tells us to do things that we may not want to do. Maybe that is why so many people stop reading it or never read it.
They hear what the word expects, maybe in a sermon or from a friend, and don’t want to have to face its demands. So they live life without engaging with the word. But if we want to be obedient to our Master, we need to do what He expects of us. That is what the word is for.
It isn’t easy to stand up in a church and head for the door when something inappropriate is taught, but no one should sit under a preacher who is instructing contrary to the word. It is better to leave such a church than to accommodate the bad doctrine. Such an attitude places the church above the Lord. That cannot stand.
Let us remember this point. What the Lord says is like our government’s constitution. We get upset at politicians who ignore the law as if it doesn’t apply to them. How much more should we be upset at pastors, preachers, and teachers who ignore the highest authority of all?
This doesn’t mean we should get up and walk out every time we hear something amiss. People are prone to mistakes. However, when something is obviously purposeful that fails to align with the word, it is time to depart. Just recently, the Anglican Church split because those in the UK selected a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the highest position in the church.
The African Anglicans noted that this was unacceptable. Further, her stance on abortion and gay rights made her selection a slap in the face of all who desire to hold to the word. The problem, however, rests as much with the African Anglicans. They failed to say anything years ago when unacceptable people began to be ordained.
The selection of this woman to be the Archbishop was merely an obvious step in the rush to total apostasy. The Africans, for years, failed to uphold the word by dividing from the UK, only taking action when it became intolerable to them, not to God, whose word had already been violated numerous times. Let us not let things get to such a point. Instead, let us exalt the word and thus honor the Lord at all times.
Lord God, give us the desire to be obedient to Your word as well as have the intestinal fortitude to stand firmly on it. It can be difficult for us to stand against the masses, but with You on our side, it really is no problem. Help us to remember this and adhere to what You have stated. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.