1:21
Messianic stuff was also associated with Elijah and “the Prophet”. Malachi 4:5, along with the ministry of Elijah, are the reasons for the association with Elijah, particularly with the end times. John the Baptist had some outward characteristics that resembled Elijah (Mk 1:6; 2 Kings 1:8). John the Baptist flatly denies being Elijah. Now, Jesus did identify John the Baptist with Elijah (Mt 11:14, 17:11,12; Mk 9:13; Lk 1:17), but John himself never did this. He was focused on the task and the message, “The Prophet” comes from Deut 18:15-18, and it is Jesus who fulfils this, while John the Baptist gives a flat denial. John the Baptist pointed to the one they should listen to. They were to listen to John the Baptist only in the sense that he told people to look to Jesus.
1:22
The “investigators” seem to be getting somewhat frustrated at this point, saying “OK, if you are not any of these characters, then who are you?” They need to have an answer to take back to the Sanhedrin. John denied being in any of the common categories of oddball preachers. So why was the Sanhedrin so interested in John the Baptist? It was because he was having an impact. He attracted many people to himself, and many were getting baptised, as we read in the synoptics (Mk 1:5.
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