Matthew 14:12-23 KJV
12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18 He said, Bring them hither to me.
19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22 And 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.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

After John the Baptist was beheaded, John's disciples buried him and went and told Jesus, Jesus went by ship into a desert place and the people followed on foot. Now Jesus would of cross the sea of Galilee for in this chapter he is where probably at home in Capernaum at his house when word came to him that John the baptist was beheaded. In Matthew 13:1-2 Jesus came out of the house it says and sat by the sea side and great mulitude was with him and he went into a ship and he taught the people on the shore. Well this time Jesus went by ship to depart into the desert, perhaps seeking solitude to deal with the news of John's baptist death, but then we must remember this is Jesus, John Baptist is not lost to him, only to the earth. We must also take a look at chapter 14 and realize the people followed by foot around the water edge to the desert place, and some of these are John disciples. And so Jesus being moved with compassion began to heal the sick. As evening came the disciple told Jesus let us send them away so they can find food. Jesus told his disciples to have them sit down and he took the five loaves and two fish that they had and began to break them in to pieces of food to eat. There five thousand men, woman and children present. He also blessed the food as he gave it to them, and there were twelve basket fulls left after everyone had their fill. Then Jesus sent them away and had his disciple go across the sea ahead of him while he had the people leave, then he departed up a mountain to be alone.

This mob theory was real, but here you see the crowd not so much pressing around him but seeking perhaps comfort and need of a leader. Jesus had been home at their arrival probably and had gone by ship as the people followed by foot. He was in need of a private place to talk to John disciples about not only his death, but because they were also afraid that they would to die. One the fears of following anyone is to be trapped in a crime, a situation not of God or government for that matter. Government might put you on trial but the government of Rome had the power to kill anyone part of uprising, or people seen as part of an act of rebellion.

The Gospel from the porch door of Jesus, the seashore at his door. We seldom have this image in our head of Christ having a home, because of his traveling. Yet he had a place, and yet he would take the crowd away from his earthly home. He taught the people under God the Father's heavenly throne. I really do not feel I need to say more because it a comfortable feeling of his compassion on the people to the point he even produce perhaps faith with not only the healing but wonders of food in this desert place among so many. Five thousand people is alot of people in a village. It equalevent population to the size of many small towns across America. Gives that homey feeling and yet a very serious event happen with only formalities done for John. Time of grief has effect on people, but their needs were meet by Jesus. Ever mourned alone, were your needs meet by God. God is the comforter, and Christ was present to be the comforter in the flesh to a group of people. He went beyond what was necessary for the people, for they could of gone into surrounding areas to find food. Jesus gave them comfort of not need to search for food, or healing for that matter. One stop doctor, and fast food place. It is the comfort that draws people to Jesus. Is care for their needs.

Dear Heavenly Father remind of your compassion in our life when all that is present is your love for us by your present in time of grief and sorrow, but also in time of need. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 13:1-2 KJV
1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.