John 6:17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And entered into a ship,— Christ's order was, that the disciples should go to Bethsaida, as St. Mark informs us; but the wind becoming contrary, as we shall see immediately, they were obliged to sail towards Capernaum. St. John therefore describes the voyage, not as it was intended, but as it actually happened. The evangelists have not told us how the twelve baskets full of fragments were disposed of; probably the disciples carried them with them into the boat; so that having before their eyes this convincing evidence of the miracle, they no doubt discoursed about it among themselves as they sailed, and deliberately reflected on every circumstance which had accompanied it. The people, perceiving that Jesus intended to stay, made no scruple to let the disciples go: perhaps they imagined that he was sending them away to provide such things as he had need of in order to the expedition; neither did they refuse to disperse when he commanded them, proposing all to return next morning, as they actually did; a circumstance which proves that they did not go far away. See on Matthew 14:24.