{He departed thence to teach and preach} (meteb(8820)ekeithen
tou didaskein kai k(8872)ussein). In five instances ( 7:28  11:1  13:53  19:1  26:1 ) after great discourses by Jesus "the
transition to what follows is made with the formula, 'And it came
to pass when Jesus had ended'" (McNeile). This is a wrong chapter
division, for  11:1  belongs with the preceding section.
"{Commanding}" (diatass(936e), complementary participle with
etelesen), means giving orders in detail (dia-) for each of
them. Note both "teach and preach" as in  4:23 . Where did Jesus
go? Did he follow behind the twelve as he did with the seventy
"whither he himself was about to come" ( Lu 10:1 )? Bruce holds
with Chrysostom that Jesus avoided the places where they were,
giving them room and time to do their work. But, if Jesus himself
went to the chief cities of Galilee on this tour, he would be
compelled to touch many of the same points. Jesus would naturally
follow behind at some distance. At the end of the tour the
apostles come together in Capernaum and tell Jesus all that they
had done and that they had taught ( Mr 6:30 ). Matthew follows
the general outline of Mark, but the events are not grouped in
chronological order here.