Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Jesus went off to the hills by himself for solitary prayer and communion with God the Father that would be uninterrupted by the crowds that normally surrounded Him everywhere he went, seeking His time and attention.

Also, although He never prayed as a public show -- as He condemned the hypocrites for doing -- He was following the same guidance that He had given others in telling them to pray to God in secret (Matthew 6.5-6).

February 09 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

In the NLT (New Living Translation of Mt 14:23) we find, "After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone." This is Matthew 14:23, a verse that I am learning.

He went up into a mountain apart to pray; --KJV. Perhaps this was the same he went up to before, and from whence he came down (John 6:3). This he chose as a proper place for prayer, where he could be resting, and alone, have his thoughts free, and, as man, pour out his soul to his Father, on his own account, and on the behalf of others; and particularly, he might be concerned about this notion of a temporal kingdom, that his disciples and others were so fond of; and pray that his disciples might be convinced of their mistake, and that the people might be hindered from pursuing their intentions [of crowning Him here and now, that is before He had to die for their (and our) sins]. 

His going up into a mountain and praying there, were quite contrary to the canons of the Jews; which forbid praying in places ever so little raised. —John Gill

February 09 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report