Then Elijah, drawing near to all the people, said: "How long will you waver between two sides? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is, then follow him." And the people did not respond a word to him.
I have spoken these things to you in proverbs. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs; instead, I will announce to you plainly from the Father.
His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already conspired, so that if anyone were to confess him to be the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.