Matthew 14:14

‘And he came forth, and saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.'

And when Jesus left the boat, He saw the great crowd and had compassion on them. Compare here Matthew 9:36. ‘Because they were as sheep without a shepherd' has therefore to be read in, as it is expressly in Mark 6:34. He knew that He was their Shepherd, and ‘He healed their sick'. Compare ‘those who are whole have no need of a physician, but those who are sick' (Matthew 9:12), and ‘Himself bore our afflictions and carried our diseases' (Matthew 8:17). He was thus as the Servant bearing the burdens of these crowds, and as a physician was making them whole. Mark says that ‘He taught them many things', and Luke has it that ‘He welcomed them and spoke to them of the Kingly Rule of God' and healed (Luke 9:11). Matthew intends his description therefore to be all encompassing. Here are the new people of God being tended by the Shepherd.

We should note here the supreme patience and compassion of Jesus. He had headed off across the water in order to seek solitude and safety. Yet here the crowds had come together, disturbing His solitude, and drawing attention to His presence. But there is not even the hint of impatient concern in His behaviour. He accepts them for what they are, and welcomes them, patiently teaching and healing. The tenacity of the crowds comes out in that they had clearly watched the progress of the boat on the small Lake as it bore Him off, and had recognised that by going round the northern end of the Lake they could head Him off, which was what they had done.