King James Bible
"Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"
Not just critics but Jesus' own followers struggle with his preceding teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. The word 'therefore' connects their reaction directly to the bread of life discourse, showing even committed disciples found this teaching challenging. The Greek word for 'hard' (skleros) means harsh, offensive, or difficult to accept—not intellectually complex but spiritually demanding. They recognize Jesus' words require a radical reorientation of faith beyond conventional religious understanding. Their rhetorical question implies the teaching is unbearable or impossible to accept. 'Hear' in this context means more than listening—it means receiving and obeying, suggesting they doubt anyone could truly embrace such a scandalous message.