Today's text centers in two men: John the Baptist and King Herod. The identity of Jesus is the issue immediately at hand. We discussed this identity issue in the previous chapter, noting that Mark 4:35--6:6 deals with this question. The disciples wonder who Jesus is. Jesus proceeds to demonstrate who he is through a series of spectacular miracles. He drives out a legion of demons, heals a woman with a flow of blood and raises a young girl from the dead. Still, when he arrives in his hometown, his kinfolk could only see that he was a lowly carpenter's son. They were offended by him!

In 6:14ff. we hear that King Herod has heard of Jesus. This occasions a kind of summary of the kinds of answers that were being given to the question of Jesus' identity. Some thought John the Baptist had risen …