Then those men, when they had seen, &c.— This vast multitude of people finding their hunger removed, and spirits recreated, as well as their taste delighted by the meal, were absolutely sure it was no illusion: as St. John expresses it, they had seen the miracle, so could not entertain a doubt, or form an objection.
In this manner did he, who is the bread of life, feed probably upwards of ten thousand people with five loaves and two small fishes, giving a magnificent proof, not only of his goodness, but of his creating power; for, after all had eaten to satiety, the disciples took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces of meat, each disciple a basket; in which, as every one of the multitude may be supposed to have left a little, there must have been much more than the quantity at first set before the Lord to divide. This stupendous miracle therefore, without all doubt, was conspicuous, not to the disciples only, who, carrying each his basket in his hand, had an abiding sensible demonstration of its truth, but to every individual guest at this divine feast, who had all felt themselves delighted, filled, refreshed, and strengthened by the meal. We may just observe, that the expression the prophet who should come into the world, was the usual characteristic by which the Jews described their Messiah. See the Inferences on this chapter.