Theophylact of Ohrid

"Bring the loaves here to Me. Though it be evening, I Who created the hours am here. Though it be a deserted place, it is I Who giveth food to all flesh." We learn from this that we must spend in hospitality even the little that we have, just as the apostles gave to the crowds the little that they had. As that little was multiplied, so too will your little be multiplied.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Jerome

They replied to him: We have here only five loaves and two fish. In another Gospel, we read: There is a certain boy here who has five loaves (John 6:9) ; which seems to me to signify Moses: But two fish, either we understand both Testaments, or because the even number is referred to the Law. Therefore, the apostles before the passion of the Savior and the radiance of the shining Gospel had only five loaves and two little fish, which were moving in salty waters and in the waves of the sea.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Hilary of Poitiers

When the disciples advised that the crowds be sent away into the neighboring villages to buy food, he answered, "They do not need to go away." This signaled that these people whom he healed with the food of teaching, teaching that was not for sale, had no need to go back to Judea and buy food. He ordered the apostles to give them something to eat.But was Jesus unaware there was nothing to give? Did he not know the disciples possessed a limited amount of food? He could read their minds, so he knew. …

Commentary on Matthew 14.10 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

There follows the quantity of food: they answered him: we have nothing here but five loaves and two fishes. From this we can note that the apostles were so devoted to the word of God that they did not even care about seeking food. Rom. 13:14: and make not provision for the flesh. Mystically, the five loaves signify the teaching of the law; Sir. 15:3: he fed them with the bread of life and understanding. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗