The people were viewing Moses as the source of their blessing in the past. They believed that the manna was given through his merits, and ended with his death. [1] There is also some evidence that they believed Moses was interceding for them in the present as well. [2] Jesus pointed them beyond Moses to the true source, namely, God. He wanted them to look to God for their needs, not to a human channel of God"s blessing. [source][source][source]
Jesus also turned the conversation away from the request for a physical sign back to the subject of the bread that satisfies. God had given manna in the past, but He was giving a new type of bread now. Jesus described it as coming down from heaven and providing life for the entire world, not just Israel. With this response Jesus effectively took Moses and his sign, which the people had put in a superior place over Himself, and placed them in an inferior position under Himself. The true (Gr. alethinos, genuine or original, cf. John 1:9) bread is the bread that satisfies ultimately. In this discourse Jesus mentioned seven times that He had come down out of heaven, stressing the fact that He was God"s divine gift ( John 6:33; John 6:38; John 6:41-42; John 6:50-51; John 6:58). [source][source][source]