Christians that know their Bible please help me out?

Question

In Matthew Chapter 11. 13
"For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
11.14
"And if you are willingto receiveit, he is Elijah who is to come.

Is Jesus saying that John the Baptist was Elijah??? I always expected that or thought that but just checking.

Answer 1

No, It was who is like Elijah (John the Baptist) is to come .

Answer 2

All the prophets and the law prophesied until John - I believe προεφητευσαν means here, they taught, or continued to instruct. They were the instructers concerning the Christ who was to come, till John came and showed that all the predictions of the one, and the types and ceremonies of the other were now about to be fully and finally accomplished; for Christ was now revealed. The word is taken in this sense, Mat_7:22.

This is Elias, which was for to come - This should always be written Elijah, that as strict a conformity as possible might be kept up between the names in the Old Testament and the New. The Prophet Malachi, who predicted the coming of the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elijah, gave the three following distinct characteristics of him. First, That he should be the forerunner and messenger of the Messiah: Behold I send my messenger before me, Mal_3:1. Secondly, That he should appear before the destruction of the second temple: Even the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, ibid. Thirdly, That he should preach repentance to the Jews; and that, some time after, the great and terrible day of the Lord should come, and the Jewish land be smitten with a curse, Mal_4:5, Mal_4:6. Now these three characters agree perfectly with the conduct of the Baptist, and what shortly followed his preaching, and have not been found in any one else; which is a convincing proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

And for the fellow with all the so-called contradictons listed, please see:

http://kingdavid8.com/Contradictions/Home.html
http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/bible.htm

Answer 3

This means that John had the spirit of Elijah. Elijah did not die and his spirit came back to dwell inside John the Baptist, just like Elisha received his (Elijah) spirit; it is also a common belief that Elijah will come back during the tribulation to be a witness, along with Enoch, who also never died.

Answer 4

Ashley is incorrect. Jesus clearly states John is Elijah, not like Elijah. Elijah ascended into heaven without dying in 2 Kings 2. Jesus said John is Elijah in the verse you cite, and the disciples understood John to be Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13). Elijah also appears in the Synoptic Gospels at the Transfiguration of Jesus, after John the Baptist is beheaded. So we are left with the conclusion that Elijah reincarnated as John after ascending because we know of John's nativity and know he didn't appear full grown as Elijah with a name change. So he lived as Elijah, was taken up somewhere in a fiery chariot instead of dying, was reborn as John, got executed, and reappeared at the Transfiguration, and many believe is one of the two witnesses of Revelations. In context John 3:13 doesn't read as denial that Elijah ascended to heaven, but merely contrasting himself as an authority on heaven compared to the other men Nicodemus would hear give their opinion at that time. So if Elijah ascended and John is Eijah, then John is Elijah reincarnated and descended and Elijah's appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration is John the Baptist ascended. these round trips seem to make an opening for the Hindu notion of reincarnation, even though it seems to be very special case since in the Bible only one instance is ever cleary alluded to.

You'll obviously get the sdame symbolic versus literal arguments Christians engage in over communion and "this is my body, this is my blood." Martin Luther and Hulderich Zwingli split over whether "this is my body, this is my blood" was literal or symbolic whcih is how we ended up with both the Lutheran and the Swiss Reformed Church.. Of course I assume such language is symbolic, but I think Christians who insist scripture is literal, not symbolic, flip flop when it suits them.

Answer 5

Hello barrett;

Happy to help you with your question. The following excerpts are from the Gray & Adams Bible Commentary,pg.64. " John closes the old dispensation. Elijah or Elias whom in several respects John resembled. John was the Elijah of the new dispensation."
These are from the words of Athanasius, 4th Century theologian and church father.

Hope this helps, write if you need further assistance.

Answer 6

Jesus was not preaching reincarnation.

John the Baptist was an 'Elias' that came 'in the spirit of Elijah' to bring the hearts of the children back to the rightful ways of God, as taught by their fathers of old, as was told by the angel to Zacharias and Elisabeth before John's birth.

It is common Christian and Jewish belief that there can be many "Eliases" to fulfill old Esaian (from Isaiah) prophecies, as well as others, before the final coming of the Son of Man.

Noah is believed by some to be an 'Elias'.

The Mormons teach that Elijah himself appeared to Joseph Smith, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi "I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord".

Answer 7

I think Jesus was saying that John was the same kind of prophet as Elijah, not the same person.

Answer 8

Yes John the Baptist was Elijah as was promised to the tribes of Israel to warn of the coming of the Messiah!

Answer 9

Yes 'this is Elijah" indicates the ministry predicted by Malachi 4:4,6. Jesus fulfilled many, many Old Testament prophesies.

Answer 10

In a way, yes...he symbolized Elijah in the way he lived, and the message he had to bring. When the prophecy was spoken about the one crying in the wilderness to make way for the Messiah...the prophet only had the references from the past, so he said it was Elijah. They dressed similarly, and were both godly men.

Answer 11

Yes---Christ did tell his disciples that John the Baptist was the reincarnation of Elijah the Prophet---but don't tell Christians---they don't believe in reincarnation-!!--lol--:]