Where was Christ teaching and to whom explains the analogies.
Yes, Christ was in the synagogue in Capernaum - but, who was he teaching? Not the Capernaum crowd - but, rather the group that had eaten the loaves “…on the other side of the lake…” and wanted to be fed again. They failed to believe in Christ and were hunting for Him as a free meal ticket. (Jn6:22)
Where? Jn 6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
His Audience? Disciples that apparently some were scribes and pharisees for they were familiar with authority and questioning Christ’s authority.
Considering that the Scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees followed Christ everywhere so they could trap Him in some misstatement, having them in this crowd of 5,000 men should not really surprise anyone.
Why does Christ compare Himself to bred? The Jews were quite familiar with the 40 years in the desert for which they ate manna, bread from heaven. The bread and water given to the Jews in the desert was to humble them spiritually and sustain them physically through God’s miracles. Just of the Jews physically consumed the bread and water to sustain themselves physically, Christ is telling them that they are to consume the word of truth, the mystery of God.
And here is where you totally misread the Word of God, Shawn38: Let’s look at Jn6: 51
**
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give you so that the world may live.”**
Now, it seems like the only real group that seems to have an on-going problem with Christ’s words are the 16th century protestants and their followers. Note: those who listened to Christ’s words that day had NO TROUBLE understanding His clear meaning as seen in Jn6:52
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.
Now Christ comparing calling Himself the true bread was blasphemy to the scribes and pharisees. Christ knows that some do not and will not believe Him even if they were to see the Son of man ascend up where He was before.
Actually,Christ saying that God is His Father was the blasphemy (check out Jn6:36-40. When it came to eating His Flesh, the Jews probably thought He was crazy - and simply walked away from Him (check out Jn6:50)
Jn 6:53…Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Jn 6:63…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Not good enough, Shawn38,because, if this was some kind of ‘spiritual’ flesh(?) or a metaphor gone wild… they would not have complained about EATING HIS FLESH - Jn6:52.
Did you happen to notice the rich (although non-supportive to your argument) you omitted in the verses between Jn6:53-63. It is the carnal man that is being condemned - there are approximately 50 verses that Christ uses to build upon the idea of mana as a prototype of the Eucharist, announce that He is giving us His Flesh and comands us to eat if we are going to live - and you think he now voids this out by say the words He speaks are spirit? I do not think so.
But, please, don’t stop with John - go to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians Ch 11:23-28. Paul has received a revelation from Christ about the Eucharist - the same Christ Who knocked Paul off his horse on the road to Damascus. Paul was not there at the Last Supper - so the fact that this private revelation totally coinsides with Jn 6 and the Last Supper accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke should cause one to think twice before saying it is a ‘symbol’ or a ‘metaphor’ or some kind of ‘spirit’. If this were true, look at how those who eat Christ’s Flesh in an unworthy manner are judged. have you ever heard of treating a metaphor in an unworthy manner? Check out the words.
**23
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,
24
and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
27
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.
28
A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. **
Put it together and you realize that Christ was not speaking of eating His physical body or even glorified body, but the word of God
] And, here is your invalid conclusion, Shawn38. Putting this together clearly identifies that Christ chose this way to make sure He would be with us: Body, Blood, Human Soul and Divinity - under the appearance of the consecrated Bread and Wine. To deny this is to deny a lot.
God bless
It happens! All those thoughts start crowding your mind and you don’t see the picture. Sometimes I have to imagine a little cartoon figure of me pushing this big pile of junk right out of the door (which would be my brain) and then focus on the Eucharist, the cross, the priest, or whatever is going on because I’m was to *distracted *to notice.
just not as … uh… thoroughly or whatever… and when he "gets me " There… i have Jesus and th angels and saints also There… to kick his… well, u know… 
