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The people successfully sought Jesus (v.25), but from a wrong motive. According to him, they had eaten their fill the day before and longed to repeat the experience. But if they had properly perceived the significance of the miracle of the loaves, they would instead be seeking food of eternal value, not mere physical food (vv.26-27).
The true bread from heaven and source of life was not the manna given by Moses, which perished, but Jesus himself (vv.30-33). The people did not yet understand that Jesus actually was this bread rather than just the giver of it (v.34; cf. the similar request in 4:15). He continued with the first of the well-known I am sayings of John: I am the bread of life (v.35; cf. 6:48; 8:12, 24, 28, 58; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5). As such, he came down from heaven in accordance with the Father’s will to bring life to all who believe in him (vv.36-40).
This saying provoked the Jews. Because they knew Jesus as Joseph’s son, they could not accept his seemingly absurd claim to have come from heaven (vv.41-42). It was true, Jesus responded, that no one could believe in him who had not been attracted and tutored (he quotes Isa 54:13) by the Father (vv.43-45; cf. Mk 10:27). But he knew himself: he was the living bread from heaven from whose self-giving would come eternal life (vv.46-51).
Once again the Jews missed the spiritual import of Jesus' words (cf. 2:20) and debated whether he might be speaking of cannibalism (v.52). He used eucharistic language in his explanation to reassert that life lies in believing in him (vv.53-58). The entire discourse is summarized in 6:57.