SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:40
Y se recostaron por partidas, de ciento en ciento, y de cincuenta en cincuenta.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 6:40
Verse 40. By hundreds, and by fifties.] "That is," says Mr. Wesley, "fifty in a rank, and a hundred in file. So, a hundred multiplied by fifty, made just five thousand." But if they sat fifty deep, how could the disciples conveniently serve them with the bread and fish?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 40. And they sat down in ranks , etc..] Or beds: in such form as little beds are placed in a garden, or as rows of vines in a vineyard, in which form the scholars of the wise men sat in their schools: it is said f127 , R. Eliezer ben Azariah expounded before the wise men in the vineyard (i.e. the university) of Jabneh: though was there a vineyard there? but these are the disciples of the wise men, who are made, or placed, twrw twrw , rows, rows, or in ranks, as a vineyard. By hundreds, and by fifties ; that is, an hundred in each bed, or row, and fifty in each bed, or row, as the word ana , signifies: each distinct bed, or row, had either a hundred, or fifty in it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 30-44 - Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they ar 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 too care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciple put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows tha Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve an nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. Non are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches u 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.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ανεπεσον 377 5627 V-2AAI-3P πρασιαι 4237 N-NPF πρασιαι 4237 N-NPF ανα 303 PREP εκατον 1540 A-NUI και 2532 CONJ ανα 303 PREP πεντηκοντα 4004 A-NUI
Vincent's NT Word Studies
40. In ranks (prasiai prasiai). Lit., like beds in a garden. The former adverb, by companies, describes the arrangement; this the color. The red, blue, and yellow clothing of the poorest Orientals makes an Eastern crowd full of color; a fact which would appeal to Peter's eye, suggesting the appearance of flower beds in a garden.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:40 {They sat down in ranks} (anepesan prasiai prasiai). They half-way reclined (anakliqenai, verse #39). Fell up here (we have to say fell down), the word anepesan means. But they were arranged in groups by hundreds and by fifties and they looked like garden beds with their many-colored clothes which even men wore in the Orient. qen again Mark repeats the word, prasiai prasiai, in the nominative absolute as in verse #39 instead of using ana or kata with the accusative for the idea of distribution. Garden beds, garden beds. Peter saw and he never forgot the picture and so Mark caught it. There was color as well as order in the grouping. There were orderly walks between the rows on rows of men reclining on the green grass. The grass is not green in Palestine much of the year, mainly at the passover time. So here the Synoptic Gospels have an indication of more than a one-year ministry of Jesus (Gould). It is still one year before the last passover when Jesus was crucified.
