And if you remember, many of the disciples found that statement difficult to believe and the stopped following Jesus. Amazing things is that Jesus let them go.
It is clear Yah'shua was speaking metaphorically. But He was speaking literally about celebrating Pesach as He was. Putting the verse into context Yah'shua was stating: Seek YHvH in His WORD ! Those who left, had taken Him literally i.e. cannibalism.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Do this in remembrance of me. The point is that Jewish understanding allows for symbolic interpretation of “food and drink.” To eat the flesh of the Son of Man is to absorb his entire way of being and living. The Greek word “sarx” (“flesh”) is also used to refer to human nature in general, to the physical, emotional, mental and volitional aspects of human existence. Yeshua wants us to live, feel, think and act like him; by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh he enables us to do so. Likewise, to drink his blood is to absorb his self-sacrificing life-motivation and indeed his very life, since “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). Jews and Gentiles open to the truth of who Yeshua is will find this interpretation acceptable. Stern, D. H. (1996, c1992). Jewish New Testament Commentary : A companion volume to the Jewish New Testament (electronic ed.) (Jn 6:51). Clarksville: Jewish New Testament Publications.
One has to wonder why the commanded Feast of Pesach
was rejected by the Roman "church", when Yah'shua
clearly commanded that we remember Him by celebrating
Pesach. (Luke 22:19 & 1 Cor 11:24)
You’re right, they did believe He was talking about cannibalism, it was a “hard saying”. One that Jesus did not explain away or deny but challenged the Apostles to see if they trusted Him on this and they did.
So do we, all these years later, as we, like the Apostles understand how He meant to give us His body and blood after the Last Supper.
Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Amen