This is part of a series studying Peter’s life and ministry.  Click here for the entire series.

Though he was with Jesus all the time, witnessing many miracles and listening to a great deal of teaching, Peter recedes into the background for a few months.  Along with the other Christ-followers, Peter next surfaces after the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod Antipas and after Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people with five small loaves of bread and two small fish in a boy’s lunch basket on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee (possibly near Bethsaida).

Matthew records that Jesus dismissed the crowd and sent the disciples with a sense of urgency across the lake to Capernaum (Matthew 14:22-33).

In his account of the miracle, John records that after the display of Jesus’ power in feeding 5,000 the people suspected He was the prophet that Moses had predicted would come (Deuteronomy 18:15-18) and planned to make Him king, even by force if necessary (John 6:15).  There is no record that the people called Him the Messiah, but it’s clear they intended to install Him as King, in effect fulfilling their expectations of the Messiah.

Without a doubt Jesus saw this power play for what it was—a temptation orchestrated by Satan through common people to crown Him as an earthly king.  Earlier, Satan had promised Jesus power over all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, but Jesus had refused the offer (Matthew 4:1-11).

Here, after performing a spectacular miracle, Jesus refused to bow to popular demands for human kingship. He knew His Kingdom was not an earthly one, but He also knew that to acquiesce to people’s wishes at that time would prematurely spark a confrontation with Roman powers.  He hustled His disciples off to the other side of the lake before they would listen to the demands of the people.  Jesus fled from this temptation into the arms of His Father for a time of prayer.

How can we develop sensitivity to Satan’s temptations and throw up defenses before we can give in to them?

Why did Jesus send His followers away so quickly?