30 And the apostles are gathered together to Jesus. And they related to him all things, [both] what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And he said to them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a little. For those coming and those going were many, and they had not leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away apart into a desert place by ship. 33 And many saw them going, and recognised them, and ran together there on foot, out of all the cities, and got [there] before them. 34 And on leaving [the ship] [Jesus] saw a great crowd, and he was moved with compassion for them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it was already late in the day, his disciples coming to him say, The place is desert, and it is already late in the day; 36 send them away that they may go into the country and villages around, and buy themselves bread, for they have not anything they can eat. 37 And he answering said to them, Give ye them to eat. And they say to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them to eat? 38 And he says to them, How many loaves have ye? Go [and] see. And when they knew they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he ordered them to make them all sit down by companies on the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave [them] to his disciples that they might set [them] before them. And the two fishes he divided among all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up of fragments the fillings of twelve hand-baskets, and of the fishes. 44 And those that ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 6:30-44
Commentary on Mark 6:30-44
(Read Mark 6:30-44)
Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.