What does Luke 9:8 mean?

Herod Antipas has heard about Jesus and has grown curious. Jesus started His public ministry when Antipas arrested John the Baptist (Mark 1:14–15). Since Antipas rules Perea, which borders the Jordan where John preached and baptized, as well as Galilee, where Jesus spends most of His ministry, he has heard quite a bit about Jesus' miracles. What he doesn't know is who Jesus is.

After Jesus raised the son of a widow who lives in Nain, word went out that Jesus is "a great prophet" (Luke 7:16). Since Elijah did not die but rode a fiery chariot to heaven (2 Kings 2:11–12), Jews of that era expected him to return, alive (Malachi 4:5–6).

The thought that a prophet from Israel's history had risen points not only to the Jews' messianic hope, but also to the way Jesus conducted Himself and the content of His ministry. He was like several of the prophets from Israel's history in His proclamations and His miracles. Too, Old Testament prophets were well known for criticizing civil leaders. In that vein, Jesus calls Antipas a "fox" for his duplicity (Luke 13:32) and perhaps makes a veiled reference to him as a "reed shaken by the wind" for his weak character (Matthew 11:7). But Jesus is not merely like Old Testament prophets; He is the prophet Moses promised would come in his place (Deuteronomy 18:15). He is the Messiah.

The other guess for the identity of Jesus is that He is John the Baptist resurrected. Luke infers Antipas's reluctance to believe such a thing (Luke 9:9). Yet in Mark 6:16 Antipas seems to agree that this is the most likely option. During Jesus' trials before the crucifixion, Antipas will have the opportunity to question Jesus, but Jesus will refuse to answer (Luke 23:6–12).