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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Mark too their hypocrisy. They said not, "Moses did this sign, what doest thou?" thinking it would annoy Him; but for a while they address Him with great reverence, through expectation of food. So they neither said, "God did this, what doest thou?" that they might not seem to make Him equal with God; nor did they bring forward Moses, that they might not seem to lower Him, but put the matter in an intermediate form, "Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness." He indeed might have replied, "I, but now, have wrought greater wonders …
Cyril of Alexandria
The disposition of the Jews unveils itself by little and little, although, hidden and as yet buried in less overt reasonings. For they were saying in their folly, What shall we do that we might work the works of God? as if, as we said before, they held the commandment through Moses sufficient to conduct them to all wisdom, whereby they might know how to perform what was well-pleasing unto God. But their aim being such was concealed, but is now being unveiled, and by little and little comes forth more plainly. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
See what ingratitude and insensibility. After having seen so many and such great miracles, they again ask for a sign, and one even greater than the loaves with which they were fed. As gluttons, they again demand such a miracle as would serve their belly. The justice of this is evident from what follows.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
To eat then that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, is to believe on Him. Why dost thou make ready thy tooth and thy belly? Only believe, and thou hast eaten already. As He called on them to believe, they still asked for miracles whereby to believe; They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see and believe Thee? What dost Thou work? (Tr. xxv. s. 12) Or thus; Our Lord sets Himself above Moses, who did not dare to say that He gave the meat which perisheth not. …
Thomas Aquinas
903 Next, we see the origin of this food. First, we have the question asked by the Jews; secondly, the answer of Christ (v 32). Three things are done about the first: first, the Jews look for a sign; secondly, they decide what it should be; and thirdly, they bring in what is narrated in Scripture. 904 They look for a sign by asking Christ: What sign then are you going to give that we may see and believe you? This question is explained differently by Augustine and by Chrysostom. …
Bonaventure
Here the humiliation of those who despise and are proud is touched upon: for they did not wish to believe in Christ through the signs which they had seen, as if their fathers had seen greater signs. Therefore they say: "What sign therefore do you perform, that we may see and believe you?" For the Hebrews do not believe unless they see signs: 1 Corinthians 1: "Jews seek signs." "What do you work?" As if they were saying: what great thing have you done? What you have done is little in comparison to what was done in the desert.
Translation