I have a note in my NIV bible about the immediately Mark starts this sentence with. Wrote this before I had any knowledge of Mark's proclivity towards the word. Apparently his sending of the apostles off to Bethsaida creates a few geographical issues- especially combined with the 'peran' (on the far side) of the lake. France thinks the best way to solve this may be to view Luke's parallel account as mistaken on this point. Without having looked at both, it seems more likely for a mistake to run that way- if we take Peter to be the main source for Mark's account- a man who spent a good part of his life on the lake, whereas Luke's knowledge could not be as deep, or maybe even first hand. Another solution that has been offered is that there was another Bethsaida apart from Bethsaida Julias on the North Eastern side of the lake. Bethsaida means simply fishing village- so it is not altogether unlikely- but there is no evidence apart for this.
Jesus stays behind to release or dismiss the crowd. I wonder if part of this is Jesus concern for the disciples (John's account could give another reason...). Perhaps still a little tired from their own adventures- and its been a big day, that Jesus was intending to be more recuperative, perhaps, for them. Also, he is the major attraction- so this would have also given the disciples a bit of a breather.
I wonder what their conversations in the boat were like. Or were they a bit beyond long excited conversations of amazement?- a little later when Jesus amazes them again, we have the phrase- ou gar sunekan epi tois artois, all' en autwn he kardia pepwrwmene. - 'for they had not understood (lit-on the occasion of...') about the loaves, i.e. what was involved in the multiplication of the loaves, what the miracle meant (Z&G), but their hearts were hardened- mentally insensitive, obtuse, dull.
I wonder how Peter told this?
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