{And they said} (hoi de eipan). They were ready to
respond for they knew that popular opinion was divided on that
point ( 14:1f. ). They give four different opinions. It is always
a risky thing for a pastor to ask for people's opinions of him.
But Jesus was not much concerned by their answers to this
question. He knew by now that the Pharisees and Sadducees were
bitterly hostile to him. The masses were only superficially
following him and they looked for a political Messiah and had
vague ideas about him. How much did the disciples understand and
how far have they come in their development of faith? Are they
still loyal?