Was John the Baptist the Elijah who
was to come?
- Yes, he was Elijah (Matthew 11:7-15) - 7 As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear.
(Matthew
17:10-13)
10
The disciples asked him, "Why then
do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" 11
Jesus replied, "To be
sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 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." 13
Then the disciples understood that he
was talking to them about John the Baptist.
(Mark
9:11-13)
11
And they asked him, "Why do the
teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" 12
Jesus replied, "To be sure,
Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why
then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13
But I tell you, Elijah has come,
and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about
him."
- No, he was not the reincarnated Elijah (John 1:19-23) 19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ. " 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself ?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' (See Isaiah 40:3 - A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.)
The teaching of reincarnation is
against the Old Testament; therefore, Jesus was not teaching that John the
Baptist was Elijah reincarnated.
So, what did Jesus mean when He said
that John the Baptist was Elijah? We see in Malachi
4:5-6 this prophecy, 5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.
6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their
children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers;
or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."
Jesus is referring to the prophecy concerning
Elijah. The coming of Elijah was in
the spirit of Elijah, which is so stated by an Angel of the LORD in the
context of (Luke 1:5-17): 5 In the
time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to
the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of
Aaron. 6
Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's
commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they
had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in
years. 8
Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before
God, 9
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the
temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when
the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were
praying outside. 11 Then an
angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of
the altar of incense. 12 When
Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13
But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has
been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him
the name John. 14 He will be
a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he
will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other
fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16
Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on
before the Lord, in
the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to
their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
righteous--to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord."
Further
after the birth of John, his father Zecharias filled with the Holy Spirit prophesied
confirming what the Angel of the LORD had declared earlier in the same chapter that
John will
go on before the Lord (Luke
1:67-79):
67 His father
Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has
come and has redeemed his people. 69
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the
house of his servant David 70 (as he
said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- 72
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath
he swore to our father Abraham: 74
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in
holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76
And you, my child, will be called a
prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give
his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of
the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come
to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in
the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of
peace." 80 And the
child grew and became strong in
spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared
publicly to Israel.
Additionally we see more about this
messenger that was to prepare the way for Jesus in: Malachi 3:1: "See, I
will send my messenger, who
will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the
covenant, whom you desire, will come," says
the LORD Almighty.
Mark 1:2 It is
written in Isaiah the prophet: "I
will send my messenger ahead of you, who
will prepare your way"—
Notice
further down in Mark what else this messenger was, who he was and what he does:
Mark 1:3-8 "a voice of one calling
in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. (See
Isaiah 40:3) ' " 4 And so
John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole
Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing
their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River (See Malachi 3:1, Malachi
4:5-6, Luke 1:17, Luke 1:76-79). 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around
his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7
And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I,
the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
So, we see that John the Baptist was
in the spirit of Elijah, but not actually Elijah reincarnated.
It’s also of interest to note that the writer lets us know in Mark 1:6 that John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist.
We
see that Elijah wore similar clothing according to (2 Kings 1:8) They
replied, "He
was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his
waist." The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite.
We see mention of the clothing again with
respect to John in Matthew 3 but also more confirmation of who he was in Matthew 3:2-4 : In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in
the Desert of Judea 2 and
saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near (See Mark 1:2-4). "
3
This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one
calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for
him.' (See Isaiah 40:3 & Mark 1:5) " 4
John's clothes
were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey (See Mark 1:6).
So we
can conclude that just as Jesus said “And if you are willing to accept it, he is
the Elijah who was to come”. John
came in the spirit of Elijah (like Elijah). John was to fulfill the same role
in his day that Elijah had, as specified in Malachi 4:5-6. That role,
specifically, was to call the nation of Israel to repentance.
See also
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Commentary on Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet,.... Not the Tishbite, as the Septuagint version wrongly inserts
instead of prophet; not Elijah in person, who lived in the times of Ahab; but
John the Baptist, who was to come in the power and spirit of Elijah, Luke 1:17 between whom there was a
great likeness in their temper and disposition; in their manner of clothing,
and austere way of living; in their courage and integrity in reproving vice;
and in their zeal and usefulness in the cause of God and true religion; and in
their famous piety and holiness of life; and in being both prophets; see Matthew 11:11 and that he is
intended is clear from Matthew
17:10. It is a notion of the Jews, as Kimchi and others, that the very
Elijah, the same that lived in the days of Ahab, shall come in person before
the coming of their Messiah they vainly expect, and often speak of difficult
things to be left till Elijah comes and solves them; but for such a notion
there is no foundation, either in this text or elsewhere. And as groundless is
that of some of the ancient Christian fathers, and of the Papists, as Lyra and
others, that Elijah with Enoch will come before the day of judgment, and
restore the church of God ruined by antichrist, which they suppose is meant in
the next clause.
Before the coming of the great and,
dreadful day of the Lord; that is, before the coming of Christ the son of
David, as the Jews (r) themselves own; and which is to be understood, not of
the second coming of Christ to judgment, though that is sometimes called the
great day, and will be dreadful to Christless sinners; but of the first coming
of Christ, reaching to the destruction of Jerusalem: John the Baptist, his
forerunner, the Elijah here spoken of, came proclaiming wrath and terror to
impenitent sinners; Christ foretold and denounced ruin and destruction to the
Jewish nation, city, and temple; and the time of Jerusalem's destruction was a
dreadful day indeed, such a time of affliction as had not been from the
creation, Matthew 24:21 and
the Talmud interprets (s) this of the sorrows of the Messiah, or which shall be
in the days of the Messiah.
& Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children,.... Or "with" the children, as Kimchi; and Ben Melech
observes, that is put for and so in the next clause: and the heart of the
children to their fathers; or "with" their fathers; that is, both
fathers and children: the meaning is, that John the Baptist should be an
instrument of converting many of the Jews, both fathers and children, and
bringing them to the knowledge and faith of the true Messiah; and reconcile
them together who were divided by the schools of Hillell and Shammai, and by
the sects of the Sadducees and Pharisees, and bring them to be of one mind,
judgment, and faith, and to have a hearty love to one another, and the Lord
Christ; see Matthew 3:5; see
Gill on Luke 1:17. The
Talmudists (t) interpret this of composing differences, and making peace.
Lest I come and smite the earth with
a curse; the land of Judea; which, because the greater part of the inhabitants
of it were not converted to the Lord, did not believe in the Messiah, but
rejected him, notwithstanding the preaching and testimony of John the Baptist,
and the ministry and miracles of Christ, it was smitten with a curse, was made desolate,
and destroyed by the Roman emperors, Vespasian and Adrian, as instruments doing
what God here threatened he would do; for not the whole earth is intended, as
the Targum and Abarbinel suggest; but only that land, and the people of it, are
intended, to whom the law of Moses was given; and to whom Elias, or John the
Baptist, was to be sent; and to whom he was sent, and did come; and by whom he
was rejected, and also the Messiah he pointed at; for which that country was
smitten with a curse, and remains under it to this day.
As well
as Gill's Exposition of
the Entire Bible Commentary on Matthew 11:17
And if ye will receive it,.... The words carry in them some suspicion of unbelief and hardness of heart, as though they would not receive it: however, whether they would or not, it was a certain truth, that this same person, "John the Baptist", is Elias, which was for to come; who was appointed by God to come, and was prophesied of Malachi 4:5 that he should come; and even according to the doctrine of the Scribes and Rabbins, he was expected to come before the Messiah; only they in general thought that Elijah the Tishbite, in person, was meant; though some, as before observed (e), were of opinion, that some great prophet equal to Elijah, and endued with the same spirit, is intended; and which is true of John the Baptist, who came "in the Spirit" and "power" of Elias, Luke 1:17. And, as it was usual with the Jews (f), to call Phinehas by the name of Elias, and Elias Phinehas, because of his zeal for the Lord of hosts; for the same reason may John be called by the same name, there being a great resemblance between Elias and him; in their temper and disposition; in their manner of clothing, and austere way of living; in their very great piety and holiness; in their courage and integrity, in reproving vice; and in their zeal and usefulness in the cause of God, and true religion: in respect to which, Christ must be here understood, when he affirms John to be Elias; not Elias in person, but he that was intended by Elias, that was said should come: hence here is no contradiction to the words of the Baptist, in John 1:21 when he says, that he was not Elias; for the Jews, who put the question to him, whether he was Elias, or not? meant whether he was Elias in person, Elias the Tishbite, or not; and so John understood them, and very honestly and sincerely replies, he was not: but he does not deny that he was intended by this Elias, that was prophesied should come; yea, he says such things as might induce them to believe he was that person; hence, Christ, and he, say nothing contrary to, and irreconcilable, as the Jew (g) suggests, with each other.
And if ye will receive it,.... The words carry in them some suspicion of unbelief and hardness of heart, as though they would not receive it: however, whether they would or not, it was a certain truth, that this same person, "John the Baptist", is Elias, which was for to come; who was appointed by God to come, and was prophesied of Malachi 4:5 that he should come; and even according to the doctrine of the Scribes and Rabbins, he was expected to come before the Messiah; only they in general thought that Elijah the Tishbite, in person, was meant; though some, as before observed (e), were of opinion, that some great prophet equal to Elijah, and endued with the same spirit, is intended; and which is true of John the Baptist, who came "in the Spirit" and "power" of Elias, Luke 1:17. And, as it was usual with the Jews (f), to call Phinehas by the name of Elias, and Elias Phinehas, because of his zeal for the Lord of hosts; for the same reason may John be called by the same name, there being a great resemblance between Elias and him; in their temper and disposition; in their manner of clothing, and austere way of living; in their very great piety and holiness; in their courage and integrity, in reproving vice; and in their zeal and usefulness in the cause of God, and true religion: in respect to which, Christ must be here understood, when he affirms John to be Elias; not Elias in person, but he that was intended by Elias, that was said should come: hence here is no contradiction to the words of the Baptist, in John 1:21 when he says, that he was not Elias; for the Jews, who put the question to him, whether he was Elias, or not? meant whether he was Elias in person, Elias the Tishbite, or not; and so John understood them, and very honestly and sincerely replies, he was not: but he does not deny that he was intended by this Elias, that was prophesied should come; yea, he says such things as might induce them to believe he was that person; hence, Christ, and he, say nothing contrary to, and irreconcilable, as the Jew (g) suggests, with each other.
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