Afoot thither - On foot to the place where they saw them going.

Out of all cities - All cities or large towns in the neighborhood.

The people - Or, οχλοι, the multitudes. This is wanting in many MSS., but it seems necessary to make the sense clear. There is scarcely a verse in the whole New Testament that has suffered so much from transcribers as this verse. Amidst the abundance of various readings, one can scarcely tell what its original state was. The various readings may be seen in Griesbach.

And the people saw them departing,.... The multitude that came to and fro, saw Christ and his disciples taking ship, and launching off; for though they were as private as could be, and intended to have gone in a very private manner, yet the people observed them:

and many knew him: Jesus; some copies read, "them"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; they knew both Christ and his disciples, though they were in the ship, and at some distance:

and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and out went them, and came together unto him; they went on foot, as they might from Capernaum, Nazareth, and the parts adjacent, over the bridge at Chammath of Gadara, to this place, that belonged to Bethsaida; whither they perceived they steered, and made such haste, that they got thither before them; and the people that flocked from several cities met together, and came to Jesus, to hear his doctrine, and see his miracles,

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

33. And the people-the multitudes.

saw them departing, and many knew him-The true reading would seem to be: "And many saw them departing, and knew or recognized [them]."

and ran afoot-Here, perhaps, it should be rendered "by land"-running round by the head of the lake, and taking one of the fords of the river, so as to meet Jesus, who was crossing with the Twelve by ship.

thither out of all cities, and outwent them-got before them.

and came together unto him-How exceedingly graphic is this! every touch of it betokening the presence of an eye-witness. John (Joh 6:3) says, that "Jesus went up into a mountain"-somewhere in that hilly range, the green tableland which skirts the eastern side of the lake.

6:30-44 Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.