heir difficulty in locating Jesus was at an end, for His presence was
known throughout the town. Coming to Him, probably as He sat in the
synagog, for on this day He taught there, some of the most intrusive of
the crowd asked, brusquely and almost rudely, "Rabbi, when camest thou
hither?" To this impertinent inquiry Jesus deigned no direct reply; in
the miracle of the preceding night the people had no part, and no
account of our Lord's movements was given them. In tone of impressive
rebuke Jesus said unto them: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek
me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the
loaves, and were filled." Their concern was for the bread and fishes.
One who could supply them with victuals as He had done must not be lost
sight of.

The Master's rebuke was followed by admonition and instruction: "Labour
not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath
God the Father sealed." This contrast between material and spiritual
food they could not entirely fail to understand, and some of them asked
what they should do to serve God as Jesus required. The answer was:
"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
That Jesus was referring to Himself, none could doubt; and straightway
they demanded of Him further evidence of His divine commission; they
would see greater signs. The miracle of the loaves and fishes was nearly
a day old; and its impressiveness as evidence of Messianic attributes
was waning. Moses had fed their fathers with manna in the desert, they
said; and plainly they regarded a continued daily supply as a greater
gift than a single meal of bread and fish, however much the latter may
have been appreciated in the exigency of hunger. Moreover, the manna was
heavenly food;[726] whereas the bread He had given them was of earth,
and only common barley bread at that. He must show them greater signs,
and give them richer provender, before they would accept Him as the One
whom they at first had taken Him to be and whom He now declared Himself
to be.

CHRIST, THE BREAD OF LIFE.[727]

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave
you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread
from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world." They were mistaken in assuming that
Moses ha