“John did not say “eating his flesh...drinking his blood” but used the words of Jesus in John 6”
To the contrary, In John 6:54, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day”
John put extra emphasis on the word “eat” by not using the classical Greek verb of human eating, but that of animal eating “munch, gnaw”. He was making it clear he meant literally eating.
“He was making it clear he meant literally eating.”
So then, did the thief on the cross eat his flesh and drink his blood since he was going to be with Jesus in paradise?