{Ate the manna} (	o manna ephagon). The rabbis quoted  Ps
72:16  to prove that the Messiah, when he comes, will outdo Moses
with manna from heaven. Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah and
able to give bread for eternal life (verse  27 ). Lightfoot
(_Biblical Essays_, p. 152) says: "The key to the understanding
of the whole situation is an acquaintance with the national
expectation of the greater Moses." They quote to Jesus  Ex 16:15 
(of.  Nu 11:7  21:5  De 8:3 ). Their plea is that Moses gave us
bread "from heaven" (ek tou ouranou). Can Jesus equal that deed
of Moses?