John 1:21
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that
prophet? And he answered, No.
Your point is well taken for a number of reasons.
We debate this matter clearly because the testament that has come down is unclear and is open to tsuch a debate.
This suggests that my argument has as much merit as the traditional and authoritative argument that Christ was not the great miracle worker Elijah who was to come back from the dead.
But that this matter is so presented such that we can "wave it away" on both sides suggests it was intentionally reported to be unknown for sure at the time.
We can see that John is specific and clear whie the oter verse can be waved away one way or the other.
We must also read that Jesus was almost tar and feathered by his own synagogue for trying to tellus who he was.
Fact and Lesson from this:
A man claiming toi be a messiah will be ridiculed and ignored and verbally challanged and abused as if he is a mad manfor being honest when the case is that he is the messiah.
Lesson:
No need to tell, just do your thing.
The people of the generation will decide after the fact.