Why did John the Baptist deny being an Elijah?

[dalibor]

In Matt. 11:14, 17:13 Jesus says John the Baptist is Elijah.
In John 1:21 John the Baptist says "I am not Elijah".
How do we "reconcile" this two statements? I believe Jesus was right, but not sure what did the Baptist mean.

[look2jesus]

Hello dalibor,

My thought would be that the Jews (and possibly John) believed that the historical Elijah would appear on the scene one day, where Jesus seems to have indicated that that was a mistaken notion. When Jesus said, "...if you can accept it..." speaking of John, I take it that Jesus was pointing out that "Elijah" came in a spiritual sense, i.e., John came in the spirit and the power of Elijah. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject.

l2j

[Homer]

Hi Dalibor,

Jesus said John was the Elijah who was to come. John was Elijah in a spiritual, non-literal sense. The priests and Levites sent to question John expected a literal coming of Elijah, and that is what they meant when they asked him. If he answered their question "yes I am" he would not have been truthful, for he was not literally Elijah. John saw himself as "one crying in the wilderness" but did not recognize that he was a fulfillment of the Malachi 4:5-6 prophecy. And John also misunderstood the kind of Messiah Jesus would be, see Matthew 11:1-6.

God bless, Homer

[dalibor]

Thanks for your thoughts, L2J and Homer. I didn't pay atention to this seaming contradiction before but i heard someone saying that based on Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1 and Malachi 4:5-6 that actually there are two distinct events:

1. a prophet before Jesus (Isa 40:3, Mal 3:1)
2. a profet before the "great and dreadful day" (Mal 4:5-6) - actually one of the two witnesses in Revelation.

One of the points he made was that based on Matthew 17:11 that Jesus was taking there in future tense and also mentioning the "restoration of all things", whatever that means.
The way I see it, is that Jesus didn't mention that there will be two Elijah's comings as he could have say to clarify the seaming confusion.
In Matthew 16:14 sais that some people believed Jesus might be John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

I see here a pattern of those who what to project certain scriptures in the future, that they "double" the fullfilment of certain prophecies to match their interpretation.

[Paidion]

In someone's writings, I read that the Jews of Jesus day believed in reincarnation. It seems the writer inferred this from the question His disciples asked Him:

John 9:1,2 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?"

I suppose one could think God might have caused the man to be born blind to punish his sinning parents. But how could the man himself have sinned, with the consequence of his having been born blind? --- unless he had lived a previous life and had been reincarnated.

The writer also believed that the Jewish people of the day thought Jesus was a reincarnation of Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

Matthew 16:13,14 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

But if the writer is correct, then why would some the Jews think He was John the Baptist? For He was a contemporary of John the Baptist. So how could He be a reincarnation of John?

Dalobor referred to the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:11. I think Jesus's words are indeed relevant to the question:

Matthew 17:10-13 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Yes, it has been taught by many that Elijah will come again and be one of the witnesses mentioned in Revelation. Indeed that may be the case. Some of the early Christians taught that Enoch and Elijah were taken up in their mortal bodies, and that God preserved them alive until this day --- immortalized their earthly bodies, and that Elijah will come again. So, of course, John the Baptist denied that he was Elijah himself. Jesus Himself agreed that Elijah does come and will restore all things.

Then, in what sense did Jesus also say that Elijah had already come as John the Baptist?
I have examined, in the "gospels", many references to OT prophecies having been fulfilled in Christ's life. Christ is said to have fulfilled these prophecies. Yet the direct application of the prophecies are usually to some other time, situation, or person, other than Christ. It seems that, in Christ's day, it was understood that someone "fulfilled" a prophecy when one or more of the prophets of old made predictions which were reflected in that person's accomplishments, actions, or other deeds. Thus, because John the Baptizer in his life did what was prophesied of Elijah to come, he was Elijah, in the sense that he fulfilled that prophecy, just as Jesus was "the suffering servant" of God (although Israel is called His "servant" (Isaiah 44).

Another of many such examples, is Matthew's application of Micah 5:2 to the birth of Christ:

Matthew 2:6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’" NASB

However, the context seems to indicate that at the time this ruler appears, Assyria will invade the land of Israel, but that Israel will raise against it 7 shepherds and 8 leaders, and that the remnant of Jacob will be scattered among the nations, but that God will destroy their idols as well as Israel's enemies.

[Mellontes]

Hi Dalibor,

Jesus said John was the Elijah who was to come. John was Elijah in a spiritual, non-literal sense. The priests and Levites sent to question John expected a literal coming of Elijah, and that is what they meant when they asked him. If he answered their question "yes I am" he would not have been truthful, for he was not literally Elijah. John saw himself as "one crying in the wilderness" but did not recognize that he was a fulfillment of the Malachi 4:5-6 prophecy. And John also misunderstood the kind of Messiah Jesus would be, see Matthew 11:1-6.

God bless, Homer

Agree and disagree...I agree wholeheartedly with the reason why John denied being Elijah. He was not the LITERAL, REINCARNATED Elijah. and this is what those Pharisees (John 1:24) looked for. We must realize WHO John was responding to. Actually, anyone who is still looking for the literal, reincarnation of Elijah exhibits similar thinking.

But my disagreement comes when you say John misunderstood the kind of Messiah that Jesus would be. I think these verses makes it painfully clear that he did not misunderstand:

John 1:29 - The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:34 - And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

I think we need to look for another understanding of when John was in jail rather than just to say he misunderstood.

And as for the Malachi prophesy, does it really make any sense for John to have appeared to the WRONG generation that would witness the great and terrible day of the Lord?

[Mellontes]

Further to the Malachi prophecy...

Malachi 4:5-6 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
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.

Please try to understand that the turning of the hearts is connected with the day of the Lord. Malachi's promise is given to Israel. John's further proclamation of "who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7) is indicative that he had shown up in the correct generation to pronounce this forthcoming judgment.

Many people believe that this prophesy of Malachi has not yet been fulfilled and that only the promise of Isaiah "as one crying in the wilderness" has been fulfilled. I know my word will not be taken as true, so I give you the testimony of Scripture:

Luke 1:13-17 - But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

The bolded and underlined sections from Malachi 4:6 and Luke 1:17 is POSITIVE proof that the prophecy is being fulfilled to that first century generation! Both the Isaiah and Malachi prophecies have been fulfilled. There will not be another fulfilling, especially since Jesus said Him self that Elijah has already come (speaking of John the Baptist):

Matthew 11:11-14 - Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, which was for to come.

Matthew 17:12-13 - But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

For many, this is not going to convince anyone that Elijah has already come. These many will still go on to believe that he must be one of the witnesses of Revelation despite the fact that neither Elijah or Enoch are mentioned in the entire book!

We should believe Jesus and the witness of John's father through Scripture. The generation that John showed up in was the same generation which would see the day of the Lord.

Here are three additional links concerning the coming of John the Baptist:

Part 1 - http://www.eschatology.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=61

Part 2 - http://www.eschatology.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=61

Part 3 - http://www.eschatology.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=61

[Paidion]

For many, this is not going to convince anyone that Elijah has already come. These many will still go on to believe that he must be one of the witnesses of Revelation despite the fact that neither Elijah or Enoch are mentioned in the entire book!

Since the second-century Christians were pre-millenialists, and looked for the fully-developed kingdom in the future, it is not surprising that they considered one of the witnesses to be Elijah. However, they didn't expect a reincarnation of Elijah. As I pointed out in my previous post, they believed that Enoch and Elijah had never died. Second-century Christians believed that Enoch and Elijah were preserved in their earthly bodies, apparently for the purpose of returning in that future role as the two witnesses.

[Mellontes]

For many, this is not going to convince anyone that Elijah has already come. These many will still go on to believe that he must be one of the witnesses of Revelation despite the fact that neither Elijah or Enoch are mentioned in the entire book!

Since the second-century Christians were pre-millenialists, and looked for the fully-developed kingdom in the future, it is not surprising that they considered one of the witnesses to be Elijah. However, they didn't expect a reincarnation of Elijah. As I pointed out in my previous post, they believed that Enoch and Elijah had never died. Second-century Christians believed that Enoch and Elijah were preserved in their earthly bodies, apparently for the purpose of returning in that future role as the two witnesses.

Reincarnated or not, Jesus said that Elijah had already come. How else could He say that there was not going to be another fulfillment? Why say that he had already come if He expected Elijah to come again?

Exactly where would Elijah and Enoch exist while being preserved in their earthly bodies? Would they be like the beloved disciple according to Mormon theology - still living somwhere (hiding out) awaiting the coming of the Lord (John 21:22)? They couldn't be in heaven in their physical body according to basic evangelical theology and according to what Jesus said in the first part of John 3:13.

[RICHinCHRIST]

I think it's because John the Baptist was so humble that he recognized he was nothing compared to any other prophet.