Jesus had welcomed the crowds (v. 13), temporal though their needs may have been (v. 14). As word continued to spread, ailing people from throughout Galilee came to Gennesaret seeking the only One who could meet their need. Those who had heard of how a woman had been healed by touching the tassel of his talliot, his shawl (9:20), sought similar healings for themselves (14:36). Such activity may not have been at the heart of Jesus' mission, but it reflected the heart that motivated his mission: compassion (v. 14).