John 6:11

Facing the vast and hungry crowd Jesus took up and gave thanks for the slender provision, ἔλαβε δὲ [better ἔλαβεν οὖν] τοὺς ἄρτους, the loaves already mentioned, καὶ εὐχαριστήσας [Phrynichus says εὐχαριστεῖν οὐδεὶς τῶν δοκίμων εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ χάριν εἰδέναι; and Rutherford says Polybius is the first writer who uses the word in the sense of “give thanks”]. Pagans, by libation, or by throwing a handful on the household altar, gave thanks before a meal; Jews pronounced a blessing, ἁγιασμός or εὐλογία. (Luke 24:30; Matthew 14:19, and especially 1 Timothy 4:4. See also Grotius' note on Matthew 26:27.) Having given thanks Jesus διέδωκε … τοῖς ἀνακειμένοις. The words added from the Synoptists give a fuller account of what actually happened. But curiosity as to the precise stage at which the multiplication occurred, or whether it could distinctly be seen, is not satisfied. They all received ὅσον ἤθελον, not the βραχύ τι of Philip; and even this did not exhaust the supply; for (John 6:12) ὡς δὲ ἐνεπλήσθησαν, when no one could eat any more, there were seen to be κλάσματα περισσεύσαντα, pieces broken off but not used. These Jesus directs the disciples to gather ἵνα μή τι ἀπόληται, “that nothing be lost”. The Father's bounty must not be wasted. Infinite resource does not justify waste. Euthymius ingeniously supposes the order to have been given ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ φαντασία τις τὸ γενόμενον; but of course those who had eaten already knew that the provision was substantial and real.