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Elijah and John - Matt 17
Elijah and John - Matt 17
Having taken a few of the Apostles up onto a mountain and having been transfigured before their very eyes, Elijah and Moses appear and talk with Jesus. Jesus instructs them not to tell of this incident until after He had risen from the dead. They knew what the phrase ‘risen from the dead’ meant, they just didn’t comprehend how it applied to Jesus! Hence they asked Jesus: “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (Matt. 17:10).
God had promised! "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6).
With the coming of Jesus, many of the people thought He was Elijah (Luke 9:18-20). Herod and others thought that John the Baptist was Elijah. Now, in Matthew 17 and the transfiguration, we see that Elijah is still Elijah and has appeared unto Jesus and the select apostles.
Jesus was very clear on this. Of John the Baptist, Jesus said ‘he is Elijah who is to come’ (Matt. 11:13-14). Here, in telling the apostles that “Elijah has already come,” they understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. John was NOT Elijah reincarnated, for Elijah was still Elijah and had just appeared unto them. How then and in what way was John understood to be Elijah?
When the angel announced the coming birth of John to John’s father that John would be born, he said: “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Here, the angel refers to the statement of Malachi concerning this coming of “Elijah” and applies it to John.
As Ezekiel spoke of ‘my servant David’ and meant Jesus, so Malachi spoke of Elijah and meant John the Baptist. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and prepared the people for the revelation that Jesus was the Christ. Thus, Jesus plainly said: "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come” (Matthew 11:13-14).
John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and prepared the people to receive Jesus, the promised Messiah. Are you willing to accept it?
Hugh DeLong
Here are the pertinent scriptures concerning John and Elijah:
Luke 1:16–17
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Luke 9:7-8
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.
Luke 9:18-20
18 And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?" 19 They answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again." 20 And He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."
Malachi 3:1
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 4:5–6
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Mark 9:13
13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”
Matthew 11:13–14
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,
14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
Matthew 17:9–13
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”
11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.
12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
John 1:21
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
Mount of Transfiguration – Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus –
Matthew 17:3–4
3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
