Mat 14:22, Luk 14:23 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 22,23. And straightway Jesus constrained , etc. See . The word straightway means immediately; that is, as soon as the fragments were gathered up. To constrain , means to compel . It here means to command. There was no need of compulsion . They were at this time on the east side of the lake of Gennesaret. He directed them to get into a ship, and cross over to the other side; that is, to Capernaum. Mark adds that he sent them to Bethsaida, . Bethsaida was situated at the place where the Jordan empties into the lake, on the east side of the river. It is probable that he directed them to go in a ship or boat to Bethsaida , and remain there till he should dismiss the people, and that he would meet them there, and with them cross the lake. The effect of the miracle on the multitudes was so great, that they believed him to be that Prophet which should come into the world; that is, the Messiah , the King that they had expected, and they were about to take him by force and make him a king. To avoid this, Jesus got away from them as privately as possible, he went into a solitary mountain alone. In view of the temptation--when human honours were offered to him, and almost forced upon him--he retired for private prayer;--an example for all who are pressed with human honours and applause. Nothing is better to keep the mind humble and unambitious, than to seek some lonely place; to shut out the world, with all its honours; to realize that the great God, before whom all creatures and all honours sink to nothing, is round about us; and to ask him to keep us from pride and vain glory.

Matthew 14:22

Verse 22,23. And straightway Jesus constrained, etc. See Mk 6:45-56, Jn 6:16-21. The word straightway means immediately; that is, as soon as the fragments were gathered up. To constrain, means to compel. It here means to command. There was no need of compulsion. They were at this time on the east side of the lake of Gennesaret. He directed them to get into a ship, and cross over to the other side; that is, to Capernaum. Mark adds that he sent them to Bethsaida, Mk 6:45. Bethsaida was situated at the place where the Jordan empties into the lake, on the east side of the river. It is probable that he directed them to go in a ship or boat to Bethsaida, and remain there till he should dismiss the people, and that he would meet them there, and with them cross the lake. The effect of the miracle on the multitudes was so great, Jn 6:14,16 that they believed him to be that Prophet which should come into the world; that is, the Messiah, the King that they had expected, and they were about to take him by force and make him a king. To avoid this, Jesus got away from them as privately as possible, he went into a solitary mountain alone. In view of the temptation--when human honours were offered to him, and almost forced upon him--he retired for private prayer;--an example for all who are pressed with human honours and applause. Nothing is better to keep the mind humble and unambitious, than to seek some lonely place; to shut out the world, with all its honours; to realize that the great God, before whom all creatures and all honours sink to nothing, is round about us; and to ask him to keep us from pride and vain glory.

Luke 14:23

Verse 23. Go out into the highways. Since enough had not been found in the lanes and streets, he commands the servant to go into the roads--the public highways out of the city, as well as to the streets in it--and invite them also.

Hedges. A hedge is the inclosure around a field or vineyard. It was commonly made of thorns, which were planted thick, and which kept the cattle out of the vineyard.

"A common plant for this purpose is the prickly pear,

a species of cactus, which grows several feet high,

and as thick as a man's body, armed with sharp thorns,

and thus forming an almost impervious defence"

(Professor Hackett, Scripture Illustrations, p. 174). Those in the hedges were poor labourers employed in planting them or trimming them-- men of the lowest class and of great poverty. By his directing them to go first into the streets of the city and then into the highways, we are not to understand our Saviour as referring to different classes of men, but only as denoting the earnestness with which God offers salvation to men, and his willingness that the most despised should come and live. Some parts of parables are thrown in for the sake of keeping, and they should not be pressed or forced to obtain any obscure or fanciful signification. The great point in this parable was, that God would call in the Gentiles after the Jews had rejected the gospel. This should be kept always in view in interpreting all the parts of the parable.

Compel them. That is, urge them, press them earnestly, one and all. Do not hear their excuses on account of their poverty and low rank of life, but urge them so as to overcome their objections and lead them to the feast. This expresses the earnestness of the man; his anxiety that his table should be filled, and his purpose not to reject any on account of their poverty, or ignorance, or want of apparel. So God is earnest in regard to the most polluted and vile. He commands his servants, his ministers, to urge them to come, to press on them the salvation of the gospel, and to use ALL the means in their power to bring into heaven poor and needy sinners.

(t) "compel" Ps 110:3