Jesus spoke to them
The phrase highlights the direct communication of Jesus with His audience. In the Greek, "Jesus" is "Ἰησοῦς" (Iēsous), emphasizing His role as the Messiah and the divine Son of God. The act of speaking signifies the importance of His teachings and His desire to convey spiritual truths. Historically, Jesus often used parables and illustrations to communicate profound truths in a relatable manner, reflecting His role as the ultimate Teacher.

using this illustration
The term "illustration" in Greek is "παροιμίαν" (paroimian), which can also be translated as "parable" or "figure of speech." This indicates that Jesus was using a metaphorical or symbolic account to convey deeper spiritual meanings. In the context of John 10, Jesus is using the illustration of the Good Shepherd, a concept deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and Scripture, where God is often depicted as a shepherd caring for His flock (e.g., Psalm 23).

but they did not understand
The Greek word for "understand" is "ἔγνωσαν" (egnōsan), which implies a lack of comprehension or insight. This highlights a recurring theme in the Gospels where the spiritual truths Jesus conveyed were often misunderstood by His listeners, including His disciples. This lack of understanding can be attributed to spiritual blindness or hardness of heart, a condition that Jesus frequently addressed in His ministry.

what He was telling them
The phrase underscores the content and significance of Jesus' message. The Greek "ἐλάλει" (elalei) for "telling" suggests a continuous or repeated action, indicating that Jesus persistently communicated His message despite the lack of understanding. This persistence reflects His patience and commitment to revealing the truth of God's kingdom. The historical context of this passage is crucial, as Jesus was addressing a Jewish audience familiar with shepherd imagery, yet they struggled to grasp the full implications of His claim to be the Good Shepherd.

1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is teaching using a parable or illustration. He is the Good Shepherd, as described in the surrounding verses.

2. The Pharisees
Although not mentioned directly in this verse, they are the primary audience of Jesus' teaching in this chapter. They often struggled to understand Jesus' spiritual teachings.

3. The Sheepfold
A metaphorical place representing the community of believers or the Kingdom of God, where Jesus is the gate and the shepherd.

4. The Illustration/Parable
Jesus uses a parable about sheep, shepherds, and gates to convey spiritual truths about His role and the relationship between Him and His followers.

5. The Disciples
While not directly mentioned in this verse, they are often present during Jesus' teachings and are tasked with understanding and later spreading His message.Understanding Spiritual Truths
Spiritual truths often require spiritual discernment. Like the Pharisees, we may struggle to understand if our hearts are not open to God's teaching.

The Role of Parables
Jesus uses parables to communicate deep spiritual truths. We should seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to understand and apply these teachings in our lives.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd
Jesus cares for His followers as a shepherd cares for his sheep. We can trust Him to guide, protect, and provide for us.

The Importance of Spiritual Receptivity
Being spiritually receptive is crucial for understanding God's Word. We should pray for open hearts and minds to receive His teachings.

Community of Believers
The sheepfold represents the community of believers. We are called to be part of this community, supporting and encouraging one another in faith.(6) This parable spake Jesus unto them.--Better, this allegory spake Jesus unto them. The word rendered "parable" is the wider word (????????, paroimia) which includes every kind of figurative and proverbial teaching, every kind of speech, as the etymology reminds us, which departs from the usual course (?????, oimos). St. John nowhere uses the word "parable." The word paroimia occurs again in John 16:25; John 16:29, and once besides in the New Testament; this is in 2Peter 2:22 ("according to the true proverb"), in a quotation from the Greek version of Proverbs 26:11, where the Hebrew word is m?shal. (Comp. Note on Matthew 13:3, and Trench On the Parables, pp. 8-10.) The discourse of this chapter differs from the true parable, which is a story in which the outer facts are kept wholly distinct from the ideal truths that are to be taught; whereas here the form and the idea interpenetrate each other at every point. It is so in the other so-called "parable" in this Gospel (John 15). Strictly speaking, neither the "Good Shepherd" nor the "True Vine" is a parable. Both are "allegories," or rather, they are, as there is every reason to think, allegorical interpretations of actual events in the material world, which are thus made the vehicle of spiritual truths. It will follow from this that the interpretation of every point in the history of the material facts (e.g., "the porter" in John 10:3) is not always to be pressed. In the parable the story is made to express the spiritual truth, and with greater or lesser fulness every point in it may have its spiritual counterpart. The outer facts which are allegorised exist independently of the spiritual truth. The fact that they express it at some central points is all that is necessary for the allegory, and greater caution should attend the use of any addition to the interpretation which is given. . . . Verse 6. - This parable spake Jesus unto them. The word παροιμία occurs only in this place and in John 16:25-29; 2 Peter 2:22. It is the LXX. rendering of מָשָׁל proverb, in Proverbs 1:1, a similitude or didactic saying. The Greek word means any speech (ethos) deviating (παρὰ) from the common way (Lange). It may deviate by its sententious or parabolical form, which conceals under a closed metaphor a variety of meanings. But they, the Pharisees, who were confident of their own position, and gloried in their influence over men, and whose moral nature was steeled and armed to resist even a possible reference to themselves as "thieves," or "robbers," or "aliens," and who would not admit any of Christ's claims to their own disparagement, understood not what things they were which he was saying to them. The blind man had heard Ms voice, obeyed, found healing, advanced step by step from a bare knowledge of "a man Jesus" to a confession of him as one empowered by God; to a belief that he was a "Prophet," able to relax Mosaic Law; and finally to a ready acknowledgment that he was the Son of God. The Pharisees were conscious of neither need, nor blindness, nor desire of salvation, nor of the Shepherd's care or grace. They will not go to him for life. They can make nothing of his enigmatic words. They take counsel against him. Their misconception contrasts strongly with the susceptibility of the broken-hearted penitents. So far the parable or proverb corresponds with the parables of the kingdom in the synoptic Gospels, and is open to many interpretations.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

spoke
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to them [using]
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

this
Ταύτην (Tautēn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

illustration,
παροιμίαν (paroimian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3942: A cryptic saying, an allegory; a proverb, figurative discourse.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

they
ἐκεῖνοι (ekeinoi)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

{did} not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

understand
ἔγνωσαν (egnōsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

what
τίνα (tina)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

He was telling
ἐλάλει (elalei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

them.
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: John 10:6 Jesus spoke this parable to them (Jhn Jo Jn)