Mark 1:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Now, after that John was put in prison, &c.— We have here a remarkable particular in the conduct of our Saviour: no sooner was he informed that Herod had thrown John in prison, than he quitted Judea, and went into Galilee. (Comp. Matthew 4:12—to the end.) And traversing it all over,—as well that part of it which was under Herod's jurisdiction, as that under Philip's; see Mark 1:39 and Matthew 4:23.—he there began first to preach continually to the people, elected several of his disciples to accompany him wherever he went, performed most astonishing works, and drew the attention of the whole country upon him. Now, had Jesus and the Baptist been associate impostors, as some infidels have supposed, nothing seems more improbable than that Jesus should single out this particular time, and the dominions of that particular prince, who had but just then imprisoned his partner in the same wicked imposture, in order there first to make trial of all his devices, procure more associates, and attended by them to draw the multitude about with him from all parts of the country. In an impostor, this would have been voluntarily seeking the same fate that his fore-runner had but just experienced, and in reality provoking Herod to put an end at once to all joint-machinations: but this is what no impostor whatever can be supposed desirous to have done. See Bell's Inquiry into the Divine Missions, &c. p. 388.