The crowds fail to rise above the material level. They do not see Jesus’ work as a sign leading beyond itself, but merely as a satisfaction of the physical needs of the moment (vv 26-27). When he attempts to deepen their understanding, they get argumentative (vv 30-31) in order to justify their refusal to look beyond their immediate desires. The search for the reality behind the sign is the beginning of faith. What Jesus does leads to who he is — he is himself the ultimate sign of God’s self-revelation: the Word of God become human. Echoing the manna of Israel’s desert sojourn, the multiplication of loaves is the sign that in Christ the fullness of God’s love is extended to the world.

The expression "bread of life" has no precedent in Jewish Scriptures. Jesus means something completely new by it: his importance is not what he does but what he is. He does not merely give nourishment, which is by nature limited and temporary. He is himself unlimited and unending nourishment. Coming to him in faith does satisfy our hunger because he restores the right order of creation with God. Our deepest hunger is for justice (rightness) and the peace that comes from it.

Slavery has its attractions, not the least of which is freedom from responsibility. When facing the hardships of responsible decision-making which is the price of liberation, symbolized by the desert experience of Israel, it is tempting to look back longingly at former comforts. Returning, however, has its price too: petrification — non-growth, settling for less than what we really are. This is what happened to Lot’s wife (Gn 19:26; see also Wis 10:7; Lk 17:32.) On the other hand, fidelity to the freedom that is God’s gift to his faithful people, even if the struggle is arduous and uncertain, requires faith that God will sustain us to our need, but not necessarily according to our desires.

This psalm calls on a favorite teaching method of the ancient rabbis: to recall past events and draw from them lessons for the present. Response: "The Lord gave them bread from heaven."

Following his plea for unity based on the reality of the Christian community’s identity with the one Christ (vv 1-16), Paul here emphasizes that this new identity transforms our very selves into a new person. We often try to reduce Christianity into a mere possession of something or a code of behavior, rather than see our discipleship as a very basic change in what we are, accomplished through baptism and sustained in the eucharist.

1. How does the eucharist signify (and accomplish) the unity of the Church?

2. Discuss the ways that we commonly use bread (or any other food) as a metaphor. How might this help us understand Jesus’ use of bread here.