Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 6:12-13

"And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten." — John 6:12-13 (ASV)

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments, of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

I am sorry today that it is often a mark of very poor people that they are also very wasteful. These beggars, who had come only to be fed, were not satisfied to eat until they were satisfied, but they threw down pieces of bread, just as I frequently see, in the streets of London, great pieces of bread thrown away.

It should not be so, for bread is the staff of life. Among the Egyptians, they are always particularly careful that no portion of bread should be wasted; nor should it be wasted in a city like this, where so many people are starving for lack of bread.

But while I see the carelessness and wastefulness of the crowd, I also notice the carefulness and economy of Christ. He who could make food enough to feed the thousands at his will, yet would not waste a crust.

I think a large-hearted liberality should always be consistent with a strict economy. I have heard of one who called at a rich man's door to ask for a subscription, and he heard the rich man scolding his servant for wasting a match. "Ah!" the visitor thought, "I shall get nothing out of him."

Yet he received from that very man a larger subscription than from anyone else whom he called on during that day. Christ would give anything, but he wasted nothing; let us imitate his example.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

"Waste not, want not," Heavenly economy is to be practiced in the things of God. Christ is no miser, but he is no waster.