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“You’ve got lots of company.”

Considering they took Christ’s message the same way you did, I’d have to say that you’re the one with the company (though you’re desensitized).

Joh 6:27-29 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (28) Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Presumably, when Christ says “labour... for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life,” it refers literally to the Eucharist. But then the Jews ask him: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” in response to this statement, instead of answering “Get a Priest to feed you bits of my body!”, he replies “believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Augustine favors this view, commenting on the same lines of scripture:

“They said therefore unto Him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” For He had said to them, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto eternal life.” “What shall we do?” they ask; by observing what, shall we be able to fulfill this precept? “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He has sent.” This is then to eat the meat, not that which perisheth, but that which endureth unto eternal life. To what purpose dost thou make ready teeth and stomach? Believe, and thou hast eaten already.” NPNF1: Vol. VII, Tractates on John, Tractate 25.

In response to the Jews walking away, since they took him literally (the Roman Catholic view), Christ replies, as if to explain:

Joh 6:61-63 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? (62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Christ declares that His body is returning to “where He was before.” This He does to draw them from the carnal sense, and to think spiritually. And continues, “the spirit... quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” Christ points them back to the faith He commanded previously in verse 29, and does not encourage them to take a bite out of Him right then and there.