the problem is you are taking on part of a verse which is part of a whole conversation jesus was having with people who he fed the day before, and came just looking for a handout and not the message Christ had. when taken in context. one oculd NOT come up with the literal translation of the verse you are using. now one must ask why?
1. the bread. what was Jesus comparing the bread of life he was offering to?
John 6: 26 - 27 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
jesus was making it clear. You worked to come all this way to get a free handout (bread) but would it not better to come to give what I was sent to give? Food (bread) which will endure to eternal life (endures forever)
if one thinks. Bread dies, that is why we have to keep eating. Jesus said the bread he came to give will never die. thus we will never hunger.
vs 35 - 40 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Notice a very important thing Jesus said. What did he say would give them the bread? "COME TO ME and BELIEVE IN ME. which fits perfectly with the verse before. whan asked what work one had to do to get this bread.
vs 28 - 29 : Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
so we see in two separate parts of the passage exactly what they were told (and us) we are to do if we want this "bread of life"
Then Jesus told them, they do not believe. that is why they will not get this bread. But those who do recieve this bread, he made a promise.
36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
what a promise from God! Whoever receives this bread of life will have eternal life. and promised by Christ himself to be raised BY HIM on the last day. Add this to the previous passage that they will NEVER HUNGER, and we start to see a picture.
Jesus makes other promises to those who "eat this bread":
44 - 51 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
promises so far:
1. Never hunger or thirst
2. Live forever
3. Never Die
4. Be raised on the last day
And what did Jesus say one must do to recieve this bread?
1. Come to him,
2. Call out to him
3. Believe in him.
4. Listen to god, Learn from god. And believe in the message God came to give,
What is that meassage?
That christ will come and give his flesh for the life of the world (He will die on the cross)
Jesus goes on further to explain exactly what this means (to believe)
vs 61 -63 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
What is life? What is the bread? The thing we BELIEVE IN. And what is it that we believe? THE WORDS OF CHRIST. and who is it that speaks through Christ? THE SPIRIT. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!
He who believes has eternal life. Who who does not believe is condemned and shall never see life. Those sare the words of Christ.
No mention of a "mass" No mention of a Eucharist" no mention of a wafer of bread which turns to flesh, or cup which turns to blood. BELIEVE IN ME AND YOU WILL NEVER HUNGER, NEVER THIRST, LIVE FOREVER, NEVER DIE, BE RAISED ON THE LAST DAY"
The Eucharist promises non of this. why?
1. People eat this flesh, and still hunger. thus they need to keep eating it. Like the children of Israel ate manna
2. They still thirst, same as above
3. It does not promise anyone who eats it will have eternal life.
4. People can eat it and still die
5. Eating the flesh does not guarantee you will be raised by Christ, vs be delivered to him for Judgment.
Again, If one studies the WHOLE PASSAGE, instead of taking on part of one verse. they would see what the true BREAD OF LIFE IS'
