Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 17:11-12

"And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things: but I say into you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them." — Matthew 17:11-12 (ASV)

How he comes back to that point! Evidently the chief thought in our Saviour's mind was concerning his suffering. On another occasion, he said, I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! As the magnetic needle ever points to the pole, so did the heart of Jesus ever point to the cross.

Jesus answered. He has an answer for all questions and we should do well to bring our difficulties to Him to hear His replies. Our Lord admits that Elias must come before the Messiah, Elias truly shall first come, but He asserts that the person intended by the prophecy is come already and that the evil ones have done unto him whatsoever they listed. This cleared up the doubt at once.

Then Jesus went on to say that what had been done to the true Elias would also be done to Himself, the Messiah. Jesus Himself must die by a cruel death, Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. How simple the explanation of the difficulty! How often has it happened that we have been looking for what has already come, or have been perplexed by a doctrine which, when it has been opened to us by the Holy Spirit, has proved full of instruction and comfort. Without divine teaching, we drown in the shallows, but with it, we swim the fathomless deeps.