Contented cows- 6:41-44

taking the five loaves and two fish he looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke the bread into pieces and gave it to the disciples to set before the people (them) and he divided the two fish among them all.

I imagine the looking up into heaven is important. Perhaps Jesus always did this before a meal (what was the tradition among the Jews?) - does seem to say, this is not a solo act- acknowledging that all good things come from the Father.

After this, the big miracle- with no mention by Mark how amazing it was- or how amazing people in the crowds had found it.
Everybody eats and has their fill (echortasthesan- Z &G- satisfy with food, orig. only of feeding animals with e.g. hay (chortos) )

There's some rich imagery going on here in a spare account- the convivial atmosphere, the green grass, the groups looking like flower or vegetable beds- and eating and being like satisfied cows on finishing.

There are 12 basket fulls left over. The account finishes with a record of the number of men who were there- 5000.

This is an incredible number for an event that no one knew was going to be an event before it happened. Surely it represents more than just the curious people of Capernaum- (though a fair proportion of the town must have been there. Young sons perhaps, were sent off to run to relatives and friends in surrounding towns (there would have been quite a few in this fertile area- I think Edersheim says Galilee would have had a fair population at this time)) and let them know that Jesus was on the move. For these people, at this time, he was the main event.

As they walk to their various villages, after being fed (in a highly satisfactory manner), what were their conversations?
It would seem from some of the Greek- there spirits would have been uplifted. Without knowing, they had experienced the rule of God come near- and to perhaps temper some of my response to the New York Number 1 best seller The Shack, the picture that is presented is not one of an austere God- but one of abundance and fullness- like a bbq with good friends and food, like a cow chewing the cud contentedly after it has eaten well.
Either way it would seem that people can be suspicious- as Jesus pointed out- some thought John's asceticism was suspect ('he has a demon') – and when Jesus came with some of the above feel- 'look a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Luke 7)