Jesus’ solitary escape from those who would make him king provides an additional reason for a detail in the synoptic Gospels that is only partially explained. After the feeding “Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray” (Mark 6:45–46; cf. Matt. 14:22–23). John’s Gospel suggests that he also “he went up on a mountainside” to prevent a kidnap attempt!

In similar fashion, Mark and Matthew supply a reason for something John leaves unexplained. Why did Jesus’ disciples (v. 16) abruptly return to Capernaum in the boat without him? The synoptic answer is that they embarked because Jesus made them do so. Behind both accounts is the assumption that Jesus was in control of t…