Mark 6:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It seems to me that this prophet means that one of whom Moses said, God will raise up a prophet unto thee of thy brethren. (Deut. 8:15.) They were right indeed, but because they feared to say openly, This is the Christ, they used the voice of Moses, veiling their own surmise through fear of their rulers. There follows, But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. Herod expressly says, this in irony.

Or else, Herod, knowing that he without a cause had slain John, who was a just man, thought that he had risen from the dead, and had received through his resurrection the power of working miracles.

But in these words Luke bears witness to Mark, to this point at least, that others and not Herod said that John had risen; but Luke had represented Herod as hesitating, and has put down his words as if he said, John have I beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things? We must however suppose, that after this hesitation, he had confirmed in his own mind what others had said, for he says to his children, as Matthew relates, This is John the Baptist, he has risen from the dead. (Matt.

It goes on, For his name was spread abroad. For it is not right that a candle should be placed under a bushel. And they said, that is, some of the multitude, that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew themselves forth in him.

Here we are taught how great was the envy of the Jews. For, lo, they believe that John, of whom it was said that he did no miracle, could rise from the dead, and that, without the witness of any one. But Jesus, approved of God by miracles and signs, whose resurrection, Angels and Apostles, men and women, preached, they chose to believe was carried away by stealth, rather than suppose that He had risen again. And these men, in saying that John was risen from the dead, and that therefore mighty works were wrought in him, had just thoughts of the power of the resurrection, for men, when they shall have risen from the dead, shall have much greater power, than they possessed, when still weighed down by the weakness of the flesh. There follows, But others said, that it is Elias.

In the Gospel, Luke presents a notably concise account compared to Matthew and Mark. While the latter two narrate the events surrounding John the Baptist's imprisonment and martyrdom, Luke briefly references his imprisonment in relation to John’s ministry (3:19-20) and offers a reflection on his death without detailing the circumstances. Instead, we gain insight into John’s demise through Herod’s contemplation about Jesus: “John I beheaded; who is Jesus?” Here, Luke focuses solely on the discussions surrounding Jesus within Herod’s court. In contrast, Matthew and Mark recount similar stories, but Matthew's portrayal is typically more succinct than Mark's.

Herod Antipas became aware of the many works of Jesus and sought to understand His true identity. Some claimed that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead, others suggested that Elijah had returned, while still others believed that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. The apostles conveyed these same views to Jesus when He inquired, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ (Mark 8:24). Among all these interpretations, Herod was particularly disturbed by one: ‘Is this not John, whom I beheaded? Will he not seek revenge against me?’ Consequently, he looked for a chance to meet Jesus to confirm the validity of his concerns.

Consider the explanation of verse 28, which starts with ‘For the unfortunate Herod Antipas, this dreadful occurrence turned into a source of ongoing fear and regret...’

The death of John weighed heavily on Herod's soul. As the apostolic message spread and the name of Jesus Christ became known, the reports of His miracles reached the ruler of Galilee, leaving Herod in deep confusion. Some claimed that John had risen from the dead, while others suggested that Elijah had returned or that a prophet from old had come back to life. Herod pondered these thoughts: I have witnessed John; who, then, is this person about whom I hear such wonders? He concluded that John the Baptist, whom he had seen, must be the one who had returned from the grave. This led him to believe that great powers were attributed to Him, prompting Herod's desire to encounter Jesus Christ.