Christ Walking on the Sea and His Return to Galilee. Mark 6; 45-56.
The dismissal of the disciples and the people: V. 45. And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. V. 46. And when He had sent them away, He departed into, a mountain to pray.
He constrained, He urged, He almost forced His disciples to embark into their boat again. They were loathe to leave after this glorious exhibition of divine power, and they may have been truly solicitous for His welfare in the face of the unremitting labor which He was performing.
But His will prevailed; they must try to cross over the lake to Bethsaida, probably that on the northwest shore of the sea. His next task was to dismiss the people, who may have been just as unwilling to go, as John reports, but were also sent home.
When the majesty of His divinity shone through His mortal frame, then there was no questioning Christ's power, and there was no denying Him obedience.
And now, being all alone, Jesus took the opportunity to pray to His heavenly Father. On the hill overlooking the lake, in the darkness and loneliness, He poured out His heart and obtained new strength from above. In many a difficult position, in many a hard problem, before many a bitter experience, the best way, the surest method of getting the necessary strength is to bring it to the Lord in prayer.