This is part of the Bread of Life sermon. Since the OT refers to the sacrifice of a spotless lamb as the “bread of God”, I would say this part of John Chapt 6 is meant to be taken figuritively. ie. Jesus is the spiritual bread (also described as the living water in Chapt. 4) which gives eternal life as opposed to literal bread which gives material life but only for a limited time. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died, This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” Jn 6:49-50
Amen - it is the Spirit that gives eternal life. All blessing and glory and honor and power be unto the Lamb of God, who was crucified ONCE for our sins and sits at the right hand of our heavenly Father.
If Jesus was speaking figuratively why when his disciples and other followers left him because “this was hard to hear” did he not let those who were leaving him over this hard to hear message know he was only speaking figuratively?