And when Jesus saw a great crowd around him, he gave orders to go to the other side.
In this passage Jesus sees that a great crowd has surrounded him, and he decides to go to the other side. Jesus often changed his location when a large crowd gathered around him, in order to avoid confusion and to focus on his mission—continuing to teach and to carry out his divine works. This action can also show that Jesus knew when and where he should continue his mission, balancing his teaching, his miracles, and the time he devoted to prayer and closeness with God.