Question about Matthew 17:12-13

[Monika]

Hi everyone... sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'd like some clarification of this passage. It almost sounds like it's suggesting Elijah has returned as John the Baptist? But that sounds really off-the-wall to me, so I'm thinking I missed something important - how was Jesus "talking to them about John the Baptist"? What's the connection? Thanks in advance!


Matthew 17
12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
[NIV]

Matthew 17
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
[KJV]

 

[kimber1]

that is kind of difficult to understand. In my Bible, in the footnotes it says that John the Baptist came to fulfill the prophecies concerning Elijah; basically that John the Baptist picked up where Elijah left off. Hope that helps!

 

[Monika]

Yeah, that makes way more sense! Thanks for the reply kimber

 

[Reader Nilus]

Luke 1:14-17
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 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.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Monika]

Thank you Jeff!!

 

[Serapha]

Hello Monika,

Matthew 17:12-13 is a double prophecy. It is a fulfillment of Malachai 4:6 where John the Baptist is the one who comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, but there will be a literal fulfillment of the same prophecy when the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are preaching in the tribulation, for Elijah is believed to be one of the two witnesses.

Questions?

~malaka~

 

[Monika]

No questions right now... who knows, more may pop up though!

Thanks Malaka, hadn't learned the Revelation connection yet.

 

[Wills]

Hi everyone... sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'd like some clarification of this passage. It almost sounds like it's suggesting Elijah has returned as John the Baptist? But that sounds really off-the-wall to me, so I'm thinking I missed something important - how was Jesus "talking to them about John the Baptist"? What's the connection? Thanks in advance!


Matthew 17
12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
[NIV]

Matthew 17
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
[KJV]

You were right in raising this point, for what you observed is the

nature in which God sends people. That is, is the world expecting Elijah

to come as an ancient one or will Elijah come as God wishes?

We would look at it from a different point of view from God.

Christ wanted them to grow in depth so he said it in stages but

he CONFIRMED it in Matthew 17

God knows how idolatrous humans are, hence Elijah would not come by merely appearing as an old man from pre historic times.

God is a step ahead of us, but we typically cannot bring ourselves to understand.

WOULD ELIJAH have been beheaded if he returned?