The Coming of Elijah

[Christian2]

I'm confused about something.

John 1:21-25 (New International Version)

21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23John 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.' "[a]

24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

John the Baptist said he was not Elijah.

Matthew 17:1-13 (New International Version)

Matthew 17
The Transfiguration
1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

10The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

11Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12But 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.

We know that the Baptist was to come in the spirit of Elijah:

Luke 1:17 (New International Version)
17And 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."

This is why I am confused.

John the Baptist says he is not Elijah.

John comes in the spirit of Elijah.

But, according to the account at the transfiguration, Elijah did come.

So, what is this all about? Why did the Baptist come in the spirit of Elijah when Elijah did come at Jesus' transfiguration?

Thank you.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

I'm sorry no one has answered your question yet. I was hoping someone smarter than I would tackle it but since no one has, you are stuck with me.

(This Elijah problem, by the way, is used by those who believe in reincarnation to support their view that the Bible records reincarnations. That, however, is another story.)

You are right in that Jesus validated that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies stating that «Elijah» would call the people to repentance before the Messiah's arrival on earth. You are also right that John the Baptist denied being Elijah when asked point blank, «Are you Elijah?» but he was answering the question at face value...much as you would answer a similar question, «Are you Mr. Smith?» with «No, I'm Mr. Jones.»

As Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets, so John the Baptist was preaching in the spirit of Elijah, the spirit of those chosen by God as His prophets.

The Bible uses metaphore now and then...that's how you should understand this Elijah business.

FL

[Christian2]

I'm sorry no one has answered your question yet. I was hoping someone smarter than I would tackle it but since no one has, you are stuck with me.

(This Elijah problem, by the way, is used by those who believe in reincarnation to support their view that the Bible records reincarnations. That, however, is another story.)

You are right in that Jesus validated that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies stating that «Elijah» would call the people to repentance before the Messiah's arrival on earth. You are also right that John the Baptist denied being Elijah when asked point blank, «Are you Elijah?» but he was answering the question at face value...much as you would answer a similar question, «Are you Mr. Smith?» with «No, I'm Mr. Jones.»

As Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets, so John the Baptist was preaching in the spirit of Elijah, the spirit of those chosen by God as His prophets.

The Bible uses metaphore now and then...that's how you should understand this Elijah business.

FL

Thanks. Do you think the transfiguration could have been a vision?

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Do you think the transfiguration could have been a vision?

What do you mean by «vision»? If you mean an ecstatic revelatory experience such as described in Ezekiel 1, then I would answer No!

If you mean a vision such as Paul experienced and which he describes in 2 Cor 12, then I would answer as Paul commented: Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows. (2Cor 12:2b)

Does it matter?

Personally, I've always seen the Transfiguration as something that occured «in the world» much as Saul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. To be truthful, I have never given it much thought.

FL

[Christian2]

Do you think the transfiguration could have been a vision?

What do you mean by «vision»? If you mean an ecstatic revelatory experience such as described in Ezekiel 1, then I would answer No!

If you mean a vision such as Paul experienced and which he describes in 2 Cor 12, then I would answer as Paul commented: Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows. (2Cor 12:2b)

Does it matter?

Personally, I've always seen the Transfiguration as something that occured «in the world» much as Saul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. To be truthful, I have never given it much thought.

FL

OK, thanks.