But I say to you that Elias also is come (and they have done to him whatsoever they would), as it is written of him.
ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ηλιας μεν ελθων πρωτον αποκαθιστα παντα και πως γεγραπται επι τον υιον του ανθρωπου ινα πολλα παθη και εξουδενωθη
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
In refuting the mistaken beliefs of the Pharisees, the Lord proclaimed that ‘Elijah (i.e. John) had already come, and they did to him as they wished.’ This demonstrates their lack of faith, as he submitted to death by beheading, becoming a target of Herod's amusement.
In his account of the transfiguration, Luke briefly notes that during that time, the disciples refrained from sharing what they had witnessed, without indicating that their silence stemmed from a specific directive from Christ. He also does not mention the discussion the Lord had with the disciples regarding Elijah's appearance prior to the Messiah's arrival. Mark recounts that when Jesus instructed His disciples not to disclose this vision until after the Son of Man had been raised from the dead, they were confused and questioned one another about the meaning of rising from the dead, especially concerning Jesus, in whom they had placed their faith as the Messiah, one whom they believed should not die.
Rather than directly inquire of Jesus about this matter, they sought clarification on how the scribes could assert that Elijah must come first. It is essential to trace the disciples' thought process regarding their experience and Christ's words about His resurrection. They were, in essence, seeking answers to two pivotal questions: what it means for the Son of Man to rise from the dead, and the scribes' assertion that Elijah must come before. Indeed, Christ addresses both inquiries. In Matthew’s Gospel, His response is clear and supplemented with the clarification that the disciples understood He was referring to John the Baptist. This implies that the statement in question should not be viewed merely as a future prophecy but rather as a doctrinal truth, independent of time. The structure of Christ's discourse in Mark's account presents some difficulty, yet it should be understood that He responds separately to the two questions posed by the disciples. First, He affirms that indeed, Elijah must come before the Messiah, as confirmed in Malachi 4:5, to restore all things as expressed in Malachi 4:6. Then, He addresses the unvoiced question regarding the implications of the Son of Man rising from the dead, suggesting that His purpose involves enduring suffering and humiliation. He ultimately returns to the first question by stating that Malachi's prophecy about Elijah has already been fulfilled, revealing that this Elijah encountered a destiny similar to the one He was about to face. The records of the prophet Elijah’s trials under King Ahab may provide insight into this fulfillment.
Confused about how Jesus could experience resurrection without first undergoing death, the disciples questioned Him, “If You are truly the anticipated Savior, why do the religious leaders assert that Elijah must arrive first?” In response, Jesus provided the same clarification He had previously offered regarding the message from John (see above, Matthew 11:14). As foretold in Malachi's scripture, Elijah was destined to appear prior to Christ’s Second Coming to execute final judgment upon humanity; John, on the other hand, was meant to prepare the way for the Lord’s First Coming, who, as revealed by the Archangel Gabriel, would come in the spirit and strength of Elijah (Luke 1:17).
When Christ spoke to them about the resurrection, they found themselves confused. How could He claim that He alone would rise from the dead on the third day? This seemed to contradict their long-held beliefs. They wondered what He truly meant by the resurrection from the dead. To resolve their uncertainty, they posed questions to Him. The rabbis taught that Elijah had to come before the resurrection of the dead, which signified the arrival of the Messiah’s kingdom. Yet, Christ focused solely on His own resurrection on the third day without mentioning Elijah’s anticipated appearance, which the rabbis claimed would occur three days prior to the Messiah’s coming.
How can we trust the rabbis when they state that Elijah will arise and lament on the mountains of Israel, crying out to the world until his voice echoes, proclaiming, “Peace and blessing come upon the earth, salvation is coming!”? Will he gather the dispersed children of Jacob and restore all that was once in Israel? According to rabbinic teachings, Elijah is meant to turn the hearts of Israel towards the joyous acknowledgment of the Messiah. How can this align with the claim that the Messiah must endure great suffering at the hands of the chief priests and elders, be rejected, and ultimately die? To address these uncertainties, Christ affirmed their assertion that Elijah must come before the Messiah. This aligns with the divine will, as revealed by ancient prophecy. However, just as the Son of Man would experience suffering, rejection, and humility as foretold by the prophets—despite offering numerous signs of His heavenly origin—the same fate had befallen Elijah, who was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. The awaited Elijah had already come, yet the Jews recognized him no more than they did Christ Himself, treating him as they wished, enduring persecution for his righteousness even unto death, similar to the suffering Christ would endure. These words clarified the matter for the disciples, who understood that He was referring to John the Baptist.
The response of the Lord regarding the disciples' inquiry about Elijah, the precursor to the Messiah, is recorded in Mark. This narrative aligns closely with that of Matthew, with only minor variations (cf. Matt. 17:10-13ff.). Jesus states, “Truly, Elijah must come,” affirming that what the prophet Malachi foretold in Malachi 3—that Elijah would appear before the Messiah to prepare the people for His arrival—is indeed a certain truth found in the Holy Scriptures, the word of God. Equally important is the reality that I, the Son of Man and the Messiah, must endure great suffering and humiliation, as foretold in the same Sacred Text (see Isaiah 53, Psalm 21, and others).
If this is the case, and if the time is approaching when I will face suffering, then Elijah, who was prophesied as my forerunner, has already arrived. I assure you that he has come, but the majority of the Jews did not recognize him; “and they did to him as they pleased, as it is written of him,” reflecting the persecution faced by the historical Elijah. Similarly, John the Baptist experienced persecution, imprisonment, and ultimately death, just as the original Elijah was persecuted and sought after for elimination. While the Lord spoke of John the Baptist as Elijah in a private context, the disciples understood that He referred to him (Matthew 17:13).
When Peter, James, and John descended from the mountain, Jesus instructed them not to share what they had witnessed until the Son of Man had been resurrected: “Tell the visions to no one, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” St. John Chrysostom notes that the more wondrous accounts circulated about Him, the greater the challenge for many to accept them, thereby intensifying the temptation surrounding the cross. Furthermore, the Venerable John Damascene remarks that the Lord “knew” the disciples were still in a state of imperfection since they had yet to experience the full participation of the Spirit.
This was done, as he suggests, so that news of the Lord’s passion and the cross would not overwhelm their hearts with sorrow and that the bitterness of envy regarding His glory would not incite the betrayer to rage. After hearing the Lord's directive to remain silent about their vision until His resurrection, the apostles adhered to this command but inquired among themselves, “What does it mean to rise from the dead?” They interpreted the resurrection as the triumphant beginning of the Messiah's reign and therefore posed a question to the Lord: “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” In guiding their understanding and preparing them not for the glory of His kingdom, but for its concealment in profound humility, Jesus responded, “Elijah will come first, and he will restore all things, and as it is written of the Son of Man, that he may suffer many things and be humbled;” He continued, “I tell you, as Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did as they pleased with him, so also the Son of Man must suffer at their hands.” The disciples discerned that He was referring to John the Baptist. By the Lord’s command, the holy Apostles remained silent and shared nothing in those days about their vision. However, once the period of silence regarding this glorious event came to an end, Peter highlighted the transfiguration as the most vivid testimony to the Savior's divine power and glory.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 23 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS