But that what He had said might be made more manifest He adds, “Therefore speak I unto them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Had this been a natural blindness, He ought to have opened their eyes; but forasmuch as it is voluntary, therefore He said not simply, ‘They see not,’ but, “Seeing they see not.” For they had seen the daemons going out, and they said, “He casts out daemons by Beelzebub;” they heard that He drew all men to God and they say, “This man is not of God.” [John 9:16]
Therefore because they spake the very contrary to what they saw and heard, to see and to hear is taken from them; for they profit nothing, but rather fall under judgment. For this reason He spake to them at first not in parables, but with much clearness; but because they perverted all they saw and heard, He now speaks in parables.
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).