“Immediately,

Jesus made his disciples

Get into the boat.

They were to go on

Ahead of him,

To the other side,

To Bethsaida,

While he dismissed

The crowd.”

 

Καὶ εὐθὺς ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν εἰς τὸ πέραν πρὸς Βηθσαϊδάν, ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει τὸν ὄχλον.

 

This incident is not found in Luke, but only in Matthew, chapter 14:22, and John, chapter 6:16-17.  Mark mentioned Bethsaida and John mentioned Capernaum, but Matthew did not name a place.  Mark said that Jesus made or urged his disciples to immediately get into the boat (Καὶ εὐθὺς ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον) to go ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν) to Bethsaida (πρὸς Βηθσαϊδάν).  Jesus stayed behind and dismissed the crowds (ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει τὸν ὄχλον) after the great feeding.  Thus, his disciples went out in this boat without Jesus.  There was no mention of the number of disciples, but it could not have been many considering the size of these fishing boats.