John 6:11

Given thanks] The other Gospels say, 'blessed.' The usual benediction was, 'Blessed art Thou, Jehovah our God, King of the world, who causest bread to come forth from the earth.'

14, 15. This miracle marks a crisis in our Lord's ministry. His popularity was at its height. The people were convinced that He was the Messiah. They demanded that He should be crowned king of Israel, and should lead them against their enemies. By rejecting their overtures, and by showing, in His subsequent address at Capernaum, that His aims were of an entirely different character, He forfeited His popularity, and never regained it (see John 6:66).

Although this miracle had been recorded by the three synoptists, St. John (contrary to his usual practice) relates it again, because it forms a suitable introduction to the important discourse upon the bread of life which follows (John 6:26.), and which, in St. John's view, is an unfolding of its symbolical meaning. 'The miracle illustrates the mode of Christ's working in all ages; both in temporal and in spiritual things, the spirit that proceeds from Him makes the greatest results possible to the smallest means; that which appears, as to quantity, most trifling, multiplies itself, by His divine power, so as to supply the wants of thousands. The physical miracle is for us a type of the spiritual one which the power of His words works in the life of mankind in all time' (Neander).