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)
"To whom shall we go" only makes sense if Jesus is speaking literally
No it makes sense if one believes the words Jesus spoke not only here but elsewhere
Jhn 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
Jhn 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not.For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Jhn 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Jhn 6:66 From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Jhn 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Jhn 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Jhn 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jhn 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Jesus KNEW who was His and who would stay...He knew who the Spirit would quicken...
Remember this exchange
Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Jesus continually reafirmed that we do not understand or believe in ourselves..that saving faith is a gift of God
That was what was happening in John 6
Could YOU walk away from Christ? Where would you go? Where would I go? Peter who had a gift for putting his foot in his mouth also had an ability to express our lives and our faith in human terms...A more wordly man may not have been so honest or childlike in his answer...but Peter answered for all of us...I have no where to go but the arms of Christ...Peter spoke for me..for every believer..
It is not easy to be His..and yet it is a joy ..it brings others to mock us and hate us and in the case of Peter hang him...but Lord where would I go???
Jesus thinned the ranks that day..the "dead wood "was moved out
But remember His words..He did not Lose ONE that the Father had given Him...those that walked away were never Gods .
Jhn 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Aquinas ..That was a serious discourse..it laid out what was expected by those that are his...they that were not moved by the grace of God walked away...The disciples and us are compeled to stay..where else would we go?