Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 6:15

"But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, [It is] a prophet, [even] as one of the prophets." — Mark 6:15 (ASV)

The Herod mentioned here is Antipas (son of Herod the Great and Malthace), tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Mark may be using the title of “King” here ironically or as a reflection of local custom. The “this” of v.14 likely refers to the mighty works of Jesus, multiplied by the works of the disciples, especially since the entire discussion focuses on the question of Jesus’ identity. What follows are popular views of who Jesus was. That some thought Jesus to be John the Baptist raised from the dead shows that they knew nothing of Jesus prior to his ministry in Galilee. John the Baptist did not perform miracles while he was alive, but apparently his resurrection status was thought to give him that power. Another popular view identified Jesus with Elijah. John the Baptist had spoken of Jesus as “the Coming One”; to anyone who knew the OT it could be no one else but Elijah (cf. Malachi 3:1; 4:5). A third view was that “he is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” This seems to be a lower estimate of Jesus than the previously mentioned one.