Jesus already knew what people were saying. Gill notes that He "knew not only what was said by men but what was in them." Matthew Henry says Christ asked "not that he might be informed, but that they might observe it themselves, and inform one another."

This question was the first step toward a more personal one. Gill says of the next question, "It was for the sake of this question he put the former." By first asking what the crowds were saying, Jesus brought their opinions into the open before asking what His own disciples believed (Mark 8:29).

The disciples answered with the popular opinions: "John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets" (Mark 8:28). Every answer named a prophet. None named Him as the Christ. Jesus then turned the question on them: "But whom say ye that I am?" and Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ" (Mark 8:29).

Caesarea Philippi lay far to the north of the Sea of Galilee. Barnes says it was "greatly enlarged and ornamented by Philip the tetrarch" and lay near Mount Lebanon, in the most northern part of Judea. Gill places it "in the jurisdiction of Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis." Mark says they went into its "towns" (Greek komas, villages), the countryside around the city.

The opinions the disciples reported had circulated for some time. When Herod heard of Jesus, he said John the Baptist was risen from the dead; others said Elias, and others a prophet (Mark 6:14-15; compare Luke 9:7). Hearing more, Herod said, "It is John, whom I beheaded" (Mark 6:16). Matthew adds Jeremiah to the list (Matthew 16:14).

The crowds thought highly of Jesus. To be compared with John the Baptist or Elijah was high praise. But each answer placed Jesus in a line of messengers instead of seeing Him as the One the messengers pointed to.

This question shows Jesus' way of leading people to faith. He starts where they are, with what they have heard, and then moves to what they believe. Matthew Henry draws a practical lesson from Jesus asking what people were saying: "it may sometimes do us good to know what people say of us, not that we may seek our own glory, but that we may hear our faults." But Jesus did not let public opinion be the last word. He asked His disciples to answer for themselves (Mark 8:29).