Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 11:14

"And if ye are willing to receive [it,] this is Elijah, that is to come." — Matthew 11:14 (ASV)

If you will receive it. This is a way of speaking implying that the doctrine which he was about to state was different from their common views; that he was about to state something which varied from the common expectation, and which, therefore, they might be inclined to reject.

This is Elias. That is, Elijah. Elias is the Greek way of writing the Hebrew word Elijah. An account of him is found in the first and second books of Kings; he was a distinguished prophet and was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11).

The prophet Malachi (Malachi 4:5–6) predicted that Elijah should be sent before the coming of the Messiah to prepare the way for him. This evidently meant not that he would appear in person, but that someone would appear with a striking resemblance to him, or, as Luke 1:17 expresses it, in the spirit and power of Elijah.

But the Jews understood it differently. They expected that Elijah would appear in person. They also supposed that Jeremiah and some other prophets would appear to usher in the promised Messiah and to grace his advent (Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:10; John 1:21).

This expectation was the reason he used the words, if you will receive it, implying that the affirmation that John was the promised Elijah was a doctrine contrary to their expectation.