Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.Hmmm. I can believe you, or I can believe Christ.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
---John 6:54-5
No contest.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
Is that not definitive? Whoever believes has eternal life. Short, simple, to the point. And it precedes your verse as well...;)
If anything I think this further confirms that Jesus spoke in parables and metaphors. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood means to take His words and Spirit inside ourselves. To become a new creation through Him. We must accept Jesus within to get eternal salvation.
John 6:54-5 refers back to John 6:32-40 where Jesus says he is the bread of life.
40For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
Besides which a little bread and grape juice are hardly truly Jesus blood and body.