It should be observed, that when the Lord works a great miracle, He sends the multitudes away, teaching us thereby never to pursue the praise of the multitude, nor to attract them to us. Further, He teaches us that we should not be ever mixed with crowds, nor yet always shunning them; but that both may be done with profit; whence if, follows, “And when he had sent the multitude array, he went up into a mountain apart to pray;” shewing us that solitude is good, when we have need to pray to God.
For this also He goes into the desert, and there spends the night in prayer, to teach us that for prayer we should seek stillness both in time and place.
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).