Mark 6:41

‘And he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he blessed, and broke the loaves, and he gave to the disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were filled.'

There is no avoiding the miraculous supply. (It would even have taken a miracle to take two fish and give but a few hundred even a little). Jesus looked up to the Giver and then distributed to the crowd through the disciples. And all were filled. In His hands five loaves and two fish were sufficient and to spare.

‘Looking up to heaven He blessed.' For the idea of looking up to heaven see Mark 7:34; John 11:41; compare Job 22:26. In each case He was looking for the miraculous power of God to work. It was symbolic of calling on God.

‘He blessed'. He blessed God, as a Jewish father would give a blessing over the bread of the household. The blessing may have been the regular one, ‘”Blessed are you, Oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread on the earth”. Note that it is not the bread which is blessed but God Himself. It is gratitude for provision.

‘And broke the loaves'. An action preparatory to eating. Here it was for the purposes of distribution. It indicated sharing and the oneness of the company. A Jewish father would himself eat a piece and then pass the remainder round.

‘And He gave to the disciples to set before them.' The verb in the imperfect may indicate ‘went on giving to the disciples'.

‘And they all ate and were filled.' It is stressed that there was sufficient for everyone.