[grey_whiskers]

If it was a figure of speech, the Jews wouldn't have said in response, "This is a hard saying, who can accept it?"

And Jesus wouldn't have replied, "You think that's tough? What if you saw the Son of Man ascending where He was before?"

[aMorePerfectUnion]

If it was a figure of speech, the Jews wouldn't have said in response, "This is a hard saying, who can accept it?"

Actually, they would. They were offended even by the thought of eating flesh and blood. They did not like even the figure of speech.

And Jesus wouldn't have replied, "You think that's tough? What if you saw the Son of Man ascending where He was before?"

Actually, He would. He made it clear that there were more things to come that would be very difficult to accept, including His death and resurrection and ascention.