The interesting thing when I read about this event, is that Jesus tells them according to what was written in the Gospel according to Luke "give them to eat" Jesus who knew everything, knew that they had the ability to do it and was measuring the faith, they later says "We have only five loaves and two fish" they observed their limitations and not what they were able to do, and what is finalized by Jesus has to perform the miracle, but I think that they could do the same, but they were afraid .

The Lord reminds us now of you and of me "give them to eat."

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But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy food for all this people.
Luke 9:13