Robertson Word Pictures - Matthew 14:22 - 14:22

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Robertson Word Pictures - Matthew 14:22 - 14:22


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Constrained (ēnagkasen). Literally, “compelled” or “forced.” See this word also in Luk 14:23. The explanation for this strong word in Mar 6:45 and Mat 14:22 is given in Joh 6:15. It is the excited purpose of the crowd to take Jesus by force and to make him national king. This would be political revolution and would defeat all the plans of Jesus about his kingdom. Things have reached a climax. The disciples were evidently swept off their feet by the mob psychology for they still shared the Pharisaic hope of a political kingdom. With the disciples out of the way Jesus could handle the crowd more easily, till he should send the multitudes away (heōs hou apolusēi tous ochlous). The use of the aorist subjunctive with heōs or heōs hou is a neat and common Greek idiom where the purpose is not yet realized. So in Mat 18:30; Mat 26:36. “While” sometimes renders it well. The subjunctive is retained after a past tense instead of the change to the optative of the ancient Attic. The optative is very rare anyhow, but Luke uses it with prin ē in Act 25:16.