Exactly says RN *smiling*...When there was a discussion of John 6 I kept asking "What did the hearers of the discourse hear and understand?"
They understood Jesus was saying Yahawh (I am) the bread that came down from heaven to give you life.
They were shocked...First he said the "personal name "of God out loud...the name NO man said Yahawh..then he said Yahaw was the manna and HE was the manna....they understood..He was claiming he was God..He was the bread of life to that kept the Jewish people alive in the desert..and He was the way to eternal life then ...not the rules or traditions that they thought would earn them heaven...
The manna a type of Gods mercy and provision...a type of Christ
That might explain the Jews' reaction.
But why did His disciples say, "This is a hard saying. Who can accept it"?
Why did Jesus say to the Apostles, "Do you want to leave me too?" Why would they be shocked after having seen his many miracles?
Why would "Simon Peter answer him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go?'" when in the next line he says that "You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God," when in your interpretation the whole problem is that "He was claiming he was God..He was the bread of life to that kept the Jewish people alive in the desert..and He was the way to eternal life."
The question, "To whom shall we go" only makes sense if Jesus is speaking literally, that unless you eat His flesh and drink his blood you have no life in you. Jesus asks, Are you going to leave me too? Peter answers "To whom else should we go" or in effect: Where else can we go? We know that you're the Holy One of God, so we're going to trust you on this one.
(And notice Peter's preeminent position in speaking for the Apostles collectively)