“And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.”
They replied, some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets — the popular identifications are the same as Herod's list (Mark 6:14–15): John the Baptist raised, Elijah, one of the prophets. The crowd's categories can place Jesus within the prophetic tradition but cannot reach the correct answer. The best the crowd can do is locate Jesus among the greatest figures of Israel's prophetic history — which is high praise but not high enough.
Church Fathers on Mark 8:28
After taking His disciples afar from the Jews, He then asks them concerning Himself, that they might speak the truth without fear of the Jews.
Philip was that brother of Herod, of whom we spoke above, who in honour of Tiberius Caesar called that town, which is now called Paneas, Caesarea Philippi.
Or else, Mark and Luke, as they wrote that Peter answered, 'Thou art the Christ,' without adding what is put down in Matthew, 'the Son of the living God,' so they omitted to relate the blessing which was conferred on this confession.
Read all 11 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!