King James Bible
"This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."
John identifies Jesus's preceding words about the shepherd and sheep (vv. 1-5) as a parable—a figurative teaching meant to convey spiritual truth. The phrase indicates Jesus was addressing the Pharisees who had just expelled the healed blind man from the synagogue. Despite hearing Jesus's words, his audience failed to grasp the meaning of his metaphor. Their spiritual blindness prevented them from recognizing themselves as the false shepherds and thieves in the parable. This emphatic repetition underscores the irony that Jesus spoke directly to them about their own condition. The verse serves as a transition, prompting Jesus to explain his teaching more explicitly in the following verses.