This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus used a specific kind of teaching here, an "allegory" or "proverb," which involves a deeper, figurative meaning, not just a simple story. The profound irony is that those who pride themselves on understanding divine law completely missed the spiritual truth Jesus was revealing about himself.
This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just used the imagery of a sheepfold and a shepherd to contrast himself with the religious leaders who were leading people astray. However, his audience, particularly the Pharisees, failed to grasp the deeper meaning of his allegorical language, completely missing the point that he was identifying himself as the true shepherd and the only way to God.
Why did Jesus speak in parables? Sometimes, it wasn't just to teach, but to reveal the heart's true condition.
Jesus didn't just use stories; He used them as a way to expose the spiritual state of His listeners. In John 10, as He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd and the Door, His words were meant to clarify and guide. However, for those with hardened hearts, these same words acted like a mirror, reflecting their own lack of understanding. The commentary notes that this lack of comprehension wasn't necessarily a sign of low intelligence, but a deeper spiritual blindness, similar to what was seen in John 9:41. If they claimed to 'see,' their persistent lack of understanding meant their sin remained because they rejected the very One who could bring them sight.
The word Jesus used for His teaching here isn't the usual one. What's the difference, and why does it matter?
The Greek word used here for 'figure of speech' is 'paroimia,' which is different from the more common 'parabolē' (parable) found in other Gospels. While 'parabolē' often refers to a narrative story, 'paroimia' can mean a proverb, an allegory, or a saying that deviates from the ordinary course of speech. The scholars note that this word can imply a more hidden or 'out-of-the-way' saying. Jesus intentionally used this form of expression. The lack of understanding from His listeners wasn't just a failure to grasp a simple story; it was a failure to decode a deeper, allegorical message about His identity and mission, a message they were perhaps resistant to understanding.
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paroimia · Greek Noun
A metaphor or illustrative comparison, often used by Jesus to teach spiritual truths through earthly imagery. In the context of John's Gospel, it frequently points to a deeper, veiled truth that requires spiritual insight to grasp.
The religious leaders' persistent hardness of heart and spiritual blindness meant they heard Jesus' words but failed to grasp their profound meaning, highlighting their rejection of him as the true shepherd.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and performing miracles, attracting large crowds but also drawing opposition from religious leaders.
Early 1st century AD
Growing Opposition to Jesus
Religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and Sadducees, increasingly challenge Jesus' teachings and authority, seeing him as a threat to their established order.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Confrontations with Pharisees
Jesus engages in direct debates and confrontations with the Pharisees, often exposing their hypocrisy and lack of true understanding of God's ways.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Uses Metaphor and Allegory
To convey deeper spiritual truths and test listeners' understanding, Jesus frequently employs parables, allegories, and symbolic language.
The same misunderstanding is evident here, as the Jewish leaders press Jesus to say plainly if he is the Christ, showing they still haven't grasped the metaphorical language he's using to describe himself as the true Shepherd.
John 12:37-40This passage explains why some people, like the leaders in John 10, remained blind to Jesus' message, attributing their lack of understanding to a hardened heart and God's decree, echoing the spiritual blindness of those who heard the parable.
1 Corinthians 2:14This verse directly addresses the spiritual inability to understand divine truths without the Spirit's help, highlighting the core reason why the 'parable' in John 10 was lost on those who lacked spiritual discernment.
Matthew 13:10-17Jesus himself explains in this passage why he uses parables, noting that understanding is a gift granted to his followers, while others are given eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, mirroring the reaction to the sheepfold allegory.
barnesJohn 10:6: "This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."
This parable - See the notes at Matthew 13:3 . They understood not ... - They did not understand the meaning or design of the illustration.
vincentJohn 10:6: "This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."
Parable (παροιμίαν)The word occurs but once outside of John's writings (2 Peter 2:22). The usual word for parable is παραβολή, which is once rendered proverb in the A.V. (Luke 4:23, changed to parable by Rev.), and which occurs nowhere in John. For the distinction see on Matthew 13:3.
Jesus used a specific kind of teaching here, an "allegory" or "proverb," which involves a deeper, figurative meaning, not just a simple story. The profound irony is that those who pride themselves on understanding divine law completely missed the spiritual truth Jesus was revealing about himself.
Jesus has just used the imagery of a sheepfold and a shepherd to contrast himself with the religious leaders who were leading people astray. However, his audience, particularly the Pharisees, failed to grasp the deeper meaning of his allegorical language, completely missing the point that he was identifying himself as the true shepherd and the only way to God.
Jesus has just used the imagery of a sheepfold and a shepherd to contrast himself with the religious leaders who were leading people astray. However, his audience, particularly the Pharisees, failed to grasp the deeper meaning of his allegorical language, completely missing the point that he was identifying himself as the true shepherd and the only way to God.
"This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them." — Jesus used a specific kind of teaching here, an "allegory" or "proverb," which involves a deeper, figurative meaning, not just a simple story. The profound irony is that those who pride themselves on…
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Last reviewed October 2026