Endnote 23 – Why Jesus Went Back to Galilee

The evangelist decided to use this information as the introduction to his narrative of the execution of the Baptist (Mark 6:17–29//Matthew 14:3–12//Luke 3:19–20), and into the middle of the phrase he inserted, “Some said, ‘John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets.’” It was important to the editor to identify John explicitly, and to make it clear that the “has been raised” of the source referred to resurrection. To this end, Mark drew on the list of preserved in his gospel at 8:28: “Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others say one of the prophets.’” Mark also attempted, rather ineptly, to link the material of the source with the preceding episode (Mark 6:6–13) by adding “these powers are at work in him.” It was Jesus who had commissioned the wonder-working apostles and so must have enjoyed the same powers. Neither Josephus nor the Synoptic Gospels, however, depict John as a miracle-worker. The Fourth Gospel explicitly denies that John performed miracles—“John did no sign” (John 10:41).