[aMorePerfectUnion]

This point on synechdoche is a very good one, and I'm glad that you brought it up. It *is* synechdoche, because He whom we receive is not mere flesh only (muscle-meat, carne,) in the consecrated Host, not mere blood only (a fluid tissue consisting of red blood cells, lymphocytes, serum, etc) in the consecrated Wine, but the whole, entire and living Christ, Body-Blood-Soul-Divinity, whether under the appearance of bread or of wine.

You miss the point. You have added to what Christ said.

The figure of speech is a representation of believing in Him. Not eating Him.

[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?"

[Mrs. Don-o]

The point was made in *your* reply, that Jesus uses synechdoche here: He refers to a part (flesh) in place of the whole (His whole being.)

I'm agreeing. It was synechdoche.

If it was a metaphor, as grey_whiskers pointed out, Jesus would have corrected the people when they left him, due to their extreme uneasiness that He was speaking about drinking His blood.

On a similar occasion, Nicodemus asks Jesus whether a man has to literally get into his mothers womb and be born again. Jesus explains that "no," he dosn't mean "born" in that literal way.

But when people interpret Him as meaning His blood is drink, He does not deny it, He reiterates it: My Blood is true drink. Really drink.

HE - GAR - SARX - MOU - ALETHES - ESTIN - BROSIS.
the - for - flesh - of me - TRUE - is - food.

KAI - TO - HAIMA - MOU - ALETHES - ESTIN - POSIS.
and - the - blood - of me - TRUE - is - drink.

Unlike with his "Be born again" image, he doesn't walk it back and say, "No, you don't have to climb into your mother's womb," This time he doubles down: He means it exactly as He said it. .

[Mrs. Don-o]

Which is why He said, “Eat.”