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Mk 1:6a ... And John had been clothed ... "camel hairs" and a "leather bag" around his "waist" ...

In this verse, Mark dresses John the Baptist with the same clothing as worn by Elias to imply that he is the reincarnated Elias. This is a well known literary device used by authors to equate one thing or person with another. Here is the Old Testament source text:

What was the man like who said these things to you? They replied, "He wore a hairy garment with a leather girdle about his loins." "It is Elijah (Elias) the Tishbite"! he exclaimed. (2 Kings 1:7-8)

Mk 1:6b ... and eating "locusts" and "wild honey."

Mark then supplies the additional information that John ate locusts and wild honey which tells the reader that John could live in the desert off what the land provided for long periods of time ... just like when Elijah journeyed through the desert for 40 days and 40 nights with no provisions (1 Kings 19:8).

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