When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
- BSB Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
- NKJV Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
- NASB So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.
- NLT When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Knowing they want to make Him king by force, Jesus withdraws alone to the mountain. He refuses a kingship on the crowd's terms, showing His kingdom is not of this world.
Overview
The crowd's plan would have made Jesus a political messiah, but His mission was the cross, not a throne seized by force (cf. 18:36). His withdrawal reveals both His self-awareness and His submission to the Father's plan. Jesus will indeed reign, but as the crucified and risen King, on God's terms and timing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 18:36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
- John 7:3–4His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
- John 6:15–21When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
- Luke 19:38Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
- Mark 11:9And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
- Mark 6:45–52And 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.
- Matt 14:22–33And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
- John 5:41I receive not honour from men.
- John 2:24–25But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
- John 6:3And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
- Heb 4:13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
- John 12:12–15On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 6:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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