Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 6:44

"And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men." — Mark 6:44 (ASV)

There can be no question but that Mark understood the actions of Jesus to have been miraculous. Not only were all the people fed and their hunger satisfied, but there was more left over at the end than there had been at the beginning—twelve small wicker baskets (see comment on Mt 14:21).