Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 6:33

"For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world." — John 6:33 (ASV)

Jesus informed the people that Moses had not given them the genuine spiritual bread. He did not mean that the manna had no food value; rather, it was not the means of sustaining spiritual life. Jesus himself claimed to be the only true source of spiritual nourishment (he may have had Dt 8:3 in mind here). As physical food is necessary for physical life, so spiritual food is necessary for spiritual life.