Ascending up a mountain side suggests that Jesus wants more privacy so that he can teach his recently chosen disciples (Matthew 4:18–22). 1 According to Matthew 8:5, the mountain was likely in the vicinity of Capernaum. 2 By going up a mountain, there is also a suggestion that Jesus is coming as a second/better Moses (Matthew 23:3). 3
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.