John Calvin Commentary John 10:6

"This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them." — John 10:6 (ASV)

This parable. This is the reason why, proudly boasting of their wisdom, they rejected the light of Christ; for in a matter not very difficult to understand, they are extremely slow to understand.

But they did not understand what things they were which he spoke to them. In this clause, the Greek manuscripts differ. Some copies might be literally rendered, they did not understand what he said. Another reading, which I have followed, is fuller, though it amounts to the same meaning. The third reading is that they did not know that he who spoke of himself was the Son of God; but this is not widely accepted.