Mark 6:43

Baskets. Gr. kophinos, usually a small wicker basket such as a Jew would carry when taking a journey through regions where food would not otherwise be readily obtainable, and especially to avoid buying food from Gentiles (see on v. 41). The kind of basket referred to in ch. 8:8 is the Gr. spuris, a large wicker hamper used for carrying various kinds of loads, such as provisions for a group of people, a set of workman’s tools, etc. Paul was let down over the wall of Damascus in a spuris. Later, Jesus carefully distinguishes (in the Greek) between the kind of basket, Gr. kophinos, used at the time of feeding the 5,000 (see Matt. 16:9; Mark 8:19) and the kind of basket, Gr. spuris, used when the 4,000 were fed (see Matt. 16:10; Mark 8:20).

Fragments. Gr. klasma, literally, “that which is broken off”; hence, “a fragment,” or “a morsel.” The context makes clear that these “fragments” were not partly eaten scraps, but portions originally left with each group by the disciples but found to be in excess of the needs of the group (see on v. 41), and thus unused. They are called “fragments” in the sense that they had been “broken” from the original five loaves (see on v. 41).