Just as after the first miraculous feeding (see John 6:30), the Jewish leaders demanded a divine confirmation of his messiahship through an extraordinary sign from heaven—wanting him to declare himself clearly and publicly as the expected Messiah, so that they could then get rid of him. The scribes had also asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38), but now specifically came to Jesus to test him (peirazontes). The question thus clearly is a test. The Pharisees and Sadducees were hoping that Jesus’ reaction will be to his own detriment: for example, that he will not be able to provide a sign from heaven, so that his influence will thus be reduced. They seek a sign from heaven—not a healing or something similar, which would only relate to the earthly realm, and which Jesus had already done many times—but something from heaven itself, which could confirm his messiahship or at least his being sent by God (John 6:31; James 5:17–18).
Just as after the first miraculous feeding (see John 6:30), the Jewish leaders demanded a convincing, divine confirmation of his messiahship through an extraordinary sign from God—a sign from heaven. They wanted him to declare himself clearly and publicly as the expected Messiah, so that they could then get rid of him. The scribes had previously asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38). But unlike that earlier occasion, they now came to Jesus to test him (peirazontes)1.
The question here therefore has the distinct purpose of serving as a test. The Pharisees and Sadducees were hoping that Jesus’ reaction will be to his own detriment—for example, that he will not be able to provide a sign from heaven, and that his influence will thereby be reduced. They ask for a sign from heaven—not a healing or anything of that sort, which would remain confined to the earthly realm, and something that Jesus had already performed many times—but something that would come from heaven itself and which would serve to prove his messiahship, or at least demonstrate that he was sent by God (John 6:31; James 5:17–18)2.
1 Les pharisiens et les sadducéens abordèrent Jésus et, pour l'éprouver, lui demandèrent de leur faire voir un signe venant du ciel.