After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.
This passage of story we had Mat 14:22, etc., only what was there related concerning Peter, is omitted here. Here we have, I. The dispersing of the assembly; Christ constrained his disciples to go before by ship to Bethsaida, intending to follow them, as they supposed, by land. The people were loth to scatter, so that it cost him some time and pains to send them away.
Commenting on Mark 6:45-56
And when even was come,.... The second evening, and it was properly night: the ship was in the midst of the sea; of Galilee, about twenty five or thirty furlongs from the shore; see Joh 6:19; and he alone on the land; upon the mountain.
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. (x) His disciples.