John 6:11

Had given thanks. Each of the three other Gospels states that Jesus blessed the bread; John adds the thought that He gave thanks to His Father for the miracle which He knew would ensue. John’s statement is significant of the source of the power by which Jesus worked His miracles (see DA 143). He had veiled His own power as the second person of the Godhead when He took “the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7). He declared, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (John 5:19; see v. 30). Now He relied completely on the power of His Father (see DA 335, 336, 535, 536), and demonstrated that reliance by offering a prayer of thanks even before the miracle took place. “In His life of assumed humanity, the Saviour relied implicitly upon God; He knew that His Father’s power was sufficient for all things. . . . Christ asked His Father’s blessing on the food, and it came” (EGW RH March 29, 1898). Concerning the means by which the miracles of Jesus were performed see DA 143.

Disciples. Important textual evidence may be cited (cf. p. 146) for the omission of the words, “to the disciples, and the disciples.” Whether these words were originally in the text of John is unimportant from the standpoint of the story, as each of the other Gospels records that Jesus gave the food to His disciples and that they distributed it to the people.

Would. That is, “wished.” The form of the Greek verb used here may be understood to imply that the people repeatedly asked food of the disciples, until all were completely satisfied. The Synoptics record that “they did all eat, and were filled” (Matt. 14:20; Mark 6:42; cf. Luke 9:17). The people were not merely sustained; every man received as much as he desired.