John 6:26

ἀμὴν�. see on John 1:51. As so often, He answers, not the question, but the thought which prompted it (John 2:4; John 3:3; John 3:10; John 4:16): not because ye saw signs. They had seen the miracle, but it had not been a sign to them: instead of seeing a sign in the bread, they had seen only bread in the sign; it had excited mere curiosity and greed. Σημεῖα may be the generic plural and refer only to the Feeding; or it may include the previous miracles (John 6:2). As in the case of λαλιά (John 4:42), we are in doubt whether there is any shade of disparagement in ἐχορτάσθητε, were fed as with fodder. Luke 15:16; Luke 16:21; Revelation 19:21 incline us to think so; Matthew 5:6; Matthew 14:20 and parallels, Mark 7:27 incline us to think not. Quam multi non quaerunt Jesum, nisi ut illis faciat bene secundum tempus … Vix quaeritur Jesus propter Jesum (S. Augustine).