[Spring Theory]

Maxwell thought of space as an ether with substance where electromagnetic waves propagated.  The current consensus is that all particles and forces interact through fields.  Whether a photon interacts through a field, or is simply energy passing through the medium, the medium (or field) does not actually move substantially (follow) with the energy. Either way, it is most useful to think of the photon as as a thing moving with a speed, an idea that encompasses a model of energy in motion even though the photon may not be a thing.

[Origin]

Whether a photon interacts through a field, or is simply energy passing through the medium, the medium (or field) does not actually move substantially (follow) with the energy.

A photon is not energy, a photon carries energy.

Either way, it is most useful to think of the photon as as a thing moving with a speed, an idea that encompasses a model of energy in motion even though the photon may not be a thing.

The photon isn't a thing?

[Spring Theory]

Whether a photon interacts through a field, or is simply energy passing through the medium, the medium (or field) does not actually move substantially (follow) with the energy.

A photon is not energy, a photon carries energy.

Either way, it is most useful to think of the photon as as a thing moving with a speed, an idea that encompasses a model of energy in motion even though the photon may not be a thing.

The photon isn't a thing?

Semantics...you could also say a wave in the ocean is not energy, but carries energy.

What ever term you want to use, we use it because it is useful. 

It is useful to say a photon is energy and moves through space.

The actual structure of the photon would be the proper debate here.

[Bored chemist]

Semantics...you could also say a wave in the ocean is not energy, but carries energy.

And you would be correct.
But it would be very odd to say that someone is surfing on energy, wouldn't it?