And those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting the women and the children.
This verse shows the true scale of the miracle Jesus performed. The Gospel mentions only the number of men, about five thousand, yet it is explicitly stated that women and children were not included in that count. This means that in reality the number of those fed was much greater, perhaps more than fifteen thousand people. This fact highlights Jesus’ divine power: with a supply that seemed completely insufficient—five loaves and two fish—he provided the full satisfaction of a vast crowd, and even an overflow. This is yet another testimony that when human possibilities are exhausted, God’s possibilities begin to work.