Luke 9:10

εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Βηθσαϊδά. BLX, Copt. Sah[186] Ti[187] W.H[188] &c. [D has κώμην] The variants rose from two difficulties, (1) The copyists did not know of the Northern Bethsaida. (2) They were puzzled by the ‘desert place.’ See note.

[186] Sah. Sahidic Version.
[187] Ti. Tischendorf.
[188] W.H. Westcott and Hort.

10. διηγήσαντο αὐτῷ ὅσα ἐποίησαν. This brief and meagre record, to which nothing is added by the other Evangelists, contrasts so strongly with the joyous exultation of the Seventy over their success, that we are led to infer that the training of the Twelve was as yet imperfect, and their mission less successful than the subsequent one.

ὑπεχώρησεν κατ' ἰδίαν. The reasons—beside the natural need of the Twelve and of our Lord for rest—were (1) the incessant interruptions from the multitude, which left them no leisure even to eat (Mark 6:31), and (2) (as we see from the context) the news of the murder of John the Baptist and Herod’s inquiries about Jesus. Perhaps we may add (3) the desire to keep in retirement the Paschal Feast which He could not now keep at Jerusalem. This event constitutes another new departure in the ministry of Christ.

[εἰς τόπον ἔρημον πόλεως καλουμένης Βηθσαϊδά.] There are here great variations in the MSS. and the best reading is εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Βηθσαϊδά. The omission may be due to the fact that there was no “desert place” corresponding to this description near the only Bethsaida which was well-known to the copyists, viz. the little fishing suburb of Capernaum on the west of the lake (Bethsaida of Galilee, John 12:21), Mark 6:45. This may also explain the variation of ‘village’ for ‘city.’ It is only in recent times that we have been made familiar with the existence of the other Bethsaida—Bethsaida Julias (Mark 8:22), at the north of the lake, another ‘House of Fish’ which had been recently beautified by Herod Philip (Luke 3:1) and named by him after the beautiful but profligate daughter of Augustus (Jos. Antt. XVIII. 2, § 1; B. J. II. § 1). The ruins of this town still exist at Telui (a corruption of Tel Julias), and close by it is the green, narrow, secluded plain of El Batîhah, which exactly answers to the description of the Evangelists. This important discovery, which explains several serious difficulties of this Gospel, is due to Reland (Palaest. p. 504), and shews us how easily difficulties would be removed if we knew all the facts.