Matthew Poole and continuators on John 6:15

15 VVhen 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 .

This motion of Christ into a Mountain alone, after he had sent away the multitude (thus miraculously fed) and after that his Disciples had taken Ship again) is mentioned by two other of the Evangelists; by Matthew, Chap. 14.23. Mark 6.45, 46. But this occasion of it is expressed by neither of them; who both say, that he went thither to Pray: And indeed Iohn (who rarely mentioneth any thing set down by the others) is judged to have recorded this History, as for the Excellent Discourse of our Saviours, following this Miracle; so for some particular Circumstances in, and about the Miracle, not mentioned by the other Evangelist; of which, as the Discourse he had with Philip, was one; so this about their going about to make him a King, was another. The Iews were a People exceeding jealous of, and zealous for their Liberties, the Galileans especially; amongst whom our Saviour was at that time: So as they never wanted any thing but a Leader for a Sedition or Rebellion. The Scriptures mention two, Acts 5.36, 37. under the Conduct of one Theudas and Iudas of Galilee. Ecclesiastical History mentioneth more. Their Error as to the Messias (whom they Dreamed of as a Temporal Prince) gave them a colour for these Insurrections, when ever they could get any to take upon him that pretence. These men seeing these great Miracles wrought by Christ, particularly that of the loaves multiplyed to feed five thousand, thought Christ had been such a Messias as they expected; not understanding that the Kingdom of the true Messias was not to be of this World, Chap. 18.36. but within men here, and more evident in the day of Judgment, Mat. 25.34.

But our Saviour, who never came into the World to disturb the Civil Order and Government in it, constantly avoided the giving the least occasion for such a suspicion: When he therefore knew, either by his insight into the Hearts of men, or by hearing their Discourses, that they had such Seditious thoughts, he withdrew himself into a Mountain: How he withdrew himself, so as they did not follow him, no, not his Disciples, is a matter which hath exercised the thoughts of many. The Papists say, that he had a Power by vertue of the Personal Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in his Person, to make his Body invisible, and so passed from them, not dis [illegible: 1 letter]erned by them. The Lutherans are not so confident in this yet seem to incline it might be thus. Indeed both of them are concerned to maintain the possibility of such a thing; for without such a possibility, neither can the Papists maintain their Doctrine of Transubstantiation, where they hold, that the Bread in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is turned into the very Body of Christ, and the Wine into his Blood (though no such thing be obvious to our senses.) Nor the Lutherans their Doctrine of Cons[illegible: 1 letter]bstantiation, who hold, that the very Body and Blood of Christ is really present in, with, or under the Elements, tho the Elements be not changed into it. But the Greek words are no more than [non-Latin text not transcribed], which signifieth no more than that he again changed his place, which he might easily do through a multitude in a disorder, without their notice of him; and if his Disciples did see him, it is not probable that they, knowing his aversion to any Seditiou[illegible: 1 letter] Practises, as also his custom to withdraw to places of Privacy for Devotion, would take any notice at all of him.