This week's gospel lesson skillfully brings together two motifs that have previously just been addressed separately. The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (6:1-15) and Jesus' miraculous walk on water (6:16-21) are interwoven in ways that instruct the obstinate crowd and reveal new information to the reader.

The "crowd" here is clearly the same gathering that had received the meal in 6:1-15. Jesus' sudden departure prompts them to follow him. But it is soon evident that the crowd is following a trail of bread crumbs, not the footsteps of the Messiah.

When the crowd approaches, Jesus immediately confronts them with their motives: They are looking for an easy hand-out. While they will "work" for more of the free bread Jesus supplied them with the day before (by walking to find him again), J…