John 6:3 - Exposition

And Jesus went up into the mountain; i . e . the high ground which everywhere surrounded the lake. The same expression, εἰς τὸ ὄρος , occurs very frequently in the synoptist Gospels ( Mark 3:13 ; Matthew 5:1 ; Matthew 14:23 ). This last passage is an interesting confirmation of our text. The usage implies on the part of the four evangelists familiar acquaintance with the scenery. And there he sat down £ with his disciples . From this elevation they would see the gathering multitudes streaming from different points and meeting on the pebbly beach, asking each ether where was the Master? and whither had the Prophet, the Healer, fled? Women and little children are in the crowd ( Matthew 14:21 ). Weiss, who argues that the main features of the narrative are deeply imbedded in all the traditions, summarily disposes of the later accounts of the similar event recited by Mark ( Mark 8:1-11 ) and Matthew ( Matthew 15:32-38 ).