The End of Labour
An excerpt from St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor

Mildness and clemency are not everywhere profitable.  There are times when a teacher has need of something sharper.  When a pupil is dull, and slothful, there is need of a goad to pierce his dullness. And this the Son of God has used on this present occasion, and oftentimes elsewhere. For the multitude had again overtaken Jesus, and began to flatter Him, and to say to Him:  Rabbi, when comest thou hither? Then, to make clear to them He esteemed honour or praise from no man, and looked to one thing only:  their salvation, He replies by correcting them, and this not solely to correct them, but also to reveal, and make public, what was in their minds. 

What does He say to them?  Amen, amen, I say to you, speaking clearly and firmly, that you seek me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled.  He rejects their praise and rebukes them with His Words; not sharply or excessively, but doing this with moderation.  He did not say:  ‘You gluttons; you slaves of your stomachs.  I wrought great wonders and you did not follow me, nor marvel at them.’ No.  What He said was spoken mildly, and in this manner:  You seek me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled; here referring not only to past signs but also to this present one; saying this only to arouse them.  It was not, He said, the wonder of the loaves that struck you, but that you have been filled by them. 

And they showed at once He was not speaking at random, guessing as it were; and that this was the reason they had followed him:  To be filled again with bread.  And it was to draw down the subject of bodily food that they went on to say a little later:  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; again speaking of food, and again inviting correction.  However, He does not limit Himself to correcting them; He also instructs them.  And so He begins to teach them in these words: Labour not for the food which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you.  For him hath God, the Father, sealed; as though He had said:  Do not be solicitous for this kind of food, but for spiritual food.