Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 8:14

"And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them more than one loaf." — Mark 8:14 (ASV)

For some reason the disciples had forgotten to bring an adequate supply of bread with them for the trip across the lake. Their failure sets the stage for the teaching of our Lord. Some commentators see in the “one loaf” a symbolic reference to Jesus. The disciples have failed to see that the one loaf they had with them was none other than Jesus himself, and that was sufficient.