John 9:17-23

Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, He is a prophet." They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"  "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

The man replied, "He is a prophet." 
Matthew 21:10-11  When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders 
John 7:13  But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.

who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue 
John 10:42  Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ...
Luke 6:22  "Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man."
John 16:2  "They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God."

that is why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 
John 9:21  "But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself."

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, 
Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 
Limited to 15 verses per post.