John the Baptist...

I love to get together with my siblings in Christ.  Like the verse in Hebrews says, our gathering together results in spurring one another on to love and good works...  ...and so much more as we see the day approaching.  Not often enough do we engage one another with questions for discussion sometimes.  I can imagine there are a few reasons that we hold back - we don't want to appear foolish or we might be afraid to ignite an arguent, perhaps?  (Nothing like personalizing everything, huh?)

Today, there was a question floating around about John the Baptist, specifically, "Was he really Elijah, the  prophet as Jesus says in Matthew 17: 1-13?" (emphasis on vs. 12)  The NAS version says "but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished." 

Frankly, this was one of those instances where the obvious question had never really arrived in my brain whether by reading or hearing this passage.  The only thing that I could answer (prayerfully, but a little shakily) was that I had never taken this to actually mean that John was literally Elijah returned.

If that verse is a little eyebrow-raising in this context, then check out Matthew 11: 13-15, part of which says (vs. 14), "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come."  OOOO-Kaaayyy then, that looks even more like that, doesn't it?

It is difficult to look at these two passages on their faces and come away with any other conclusion than to say that John the Baptist was Elijah - after all that is what Jesus said directly, right?

In the Matthew 11: 14 verse, I want to point out that Christ also added an "if" to His statement.  The "if you are willing to accept it" makes it clear that He was not speaking plainly - that is to say, not in easy terms.  While He was here He said that He had more things to say, but that "you could not bear them" or in other places, He spoke in such a way that those within earshot would hear the words, yet only understand them later (for example John 16: 25).  So, my first point here is that that He was purposely causing His disciples to think - in the perplexed sort of way that causes you to arrive at a conclusion eventually; but after your arrival, you understand soooo much more than just the one word answer.

He wanted them to think about the gravity of His coming - not just the identity of a man.  Do you recall how He wept for Jerusalem?  Do you remember how He wanted to gather them to Himself?  There is going to be a time for that gathering and that time is going to be preceeded by Elijah's return, but this time, unlike that next, Jesus did not come in judgement; and more importantly in this explanation, that the Jews were about to reject His authority - as they had rejected John the Baptist - who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). 

Had it been the time to set up His kingdom, then Elijah would have been the forerunner - according to Malachi 4: 5,6.

There is one more important place to include - I promise, much easier to understand.  The priests and Levites approached John the Baptist with some plain questions. 

John 1: 21 "They asked him, 'Who are you?' And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.'  They asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' And he said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, 'No.' "

Maybe what I have written is clear as mud, thought I hope not completely.  I hope that this serves as a launching point for your own study of this.  John the Baptist was a remarkable figure - one that Christ spoke of in the most remarkable and glowing terms - but I think he was not Elijah, not directly.  He was a type of Elijah, proving that the people of the world would forcefully reject both the forerunner and the Christ.  This is now the warning to all about the next return, which will be very different indeed...