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Mark 6:45
ESV Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
NIV Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
NASB And immediately Jesus had His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He Himself *dismissed the crowd.
CSB Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
NLT Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home.
KJV And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

What does Mark 6:45 mean?

The Gospels aren't very precise when it comes to geography and timelines. This is common in ancient literature, which is often not as specific as modern readers might prefer. Mark says that Jesus sends them to Bethsaida, but John says they are headed to Capernaum (John 6:17). Taking into account several other references (Mark 6:33; Luke 9:10; John 6:1), it appears that Jesus and the Twelve started in or near Capernaum, went to a plain outside of Bethsaida, and now plan to return to Capernaum. A possible interpretation is that the Twelve left the boat at the harbor at Bethsaida and walked to the plain where the feeding of the five thousand took place. Jesus tells the twelve to go back to Bethsaida to get the boat, then on to Capernaum, although He later changes their destination to Gennesaret (Mark 6:53).

Jesus takes all day to heal and preach. When the Twelve want Him to dismiss the crowd so they can find something to eat, Jesus has them stay and feeds them, Himself. Now Jesus quickly forces the twelve to go back to the boat. This sudden dismissal is jarring. It may be that He doesn't want them infected with the crowd's belief that He should be made king (John 6:14–15). The Twelve are beginning to understand that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah (Mark 8:27–30), but the Jews believe that the Messiah will be a military commander who will rescue them from the rule of Rome. This is, in fact, what the five thousand now have in mind. Even to the Twelve, Jesus knows that a meal is a more powerful draw than healings and exorcisms (John 6:26). The mob has been miraculously fed (Mark 6:41–43) and now want to make Jesus king (John 6:15).

Jesus delays the Twelve's descent to political fervor but doesn't completely prevent it. Soon, they will catch the idea that Jesus is there to win Israel's independence, and get the notion that their proximity to Him will mean power and prestige. When John and James ask Jesus to allow them to sit "one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory," (Mark 10:37), they don't necessarily mean in eternity. They are most likely still focused on an earthly, material kingdom.
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