Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 17:10-13

"And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? 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. Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." — Matthew 17:10-13 (ASV)

St. Jerome: It was a tradition of the Pharisees, following the Prophet Malachi, that Elijah would come before the coming of the Savior to bring back the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers, and restore all things to their original state. The disciples then considered that this transformation they had seen on the mountain was His coming in glory. Therefore, they asked Him, "How then do the Scribes say that Elijah must first come?" It was as if they were saying, "If you have already come in glory, how is it that your forerunner has not yet appeared?" And they said this chiefly because they saw that Elijah had departed again.

St. John Chrysostom: The disciples did not know about the coming of Elijah from the Scriptures; rather, the Scribes made it known to them. This report was common among the uninformed multitude, as was the report concerning Christ. Yet the Scribes did not explain the comings of Christ and of Elijah as they should have. For the Scriptures speak of two comings of Christ: the one that has already taken place, and the one that is yet to come. But the Scribes, blinding the people, spoke to them only of His second coming, saying, "If this is the Christ, then Elijah should have come before Him." Christ resolves the difficulty this way, answering, Elijah truly will come and restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already. ¹

Do not think there is a contradiction in His speech when He first says that Elijah will come, and then that he has come. For when He says that Elijah will come and restore all things, He is speaking of Elijah himself, in his own person. He indeed will restore all things by correcting the unbelief of the Jews who will be found at that time. This is what is meant by turning the hearts of the fathers to the children—that is, the hearts of the Jews to the Apostles.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Or, He will restore all things means He will restore those whom the persecution of Antichrist will have overthrown, just as He Himself, by His death, would restore those whom He was to save. ²

St. John Chrysostom: But if so much good will arise from the presence of Elijah, why did He not send him at that time? We would answer that it is because they then considered Christ to be Elijah, and yet did not believe in Him. But in the future, they will believe Elijah, because when he comes after such great expectation to announce Jesus, they will more readily receive what he teaches. But when He says that Elijah has come already, He calls John the Baptist "Elijah" because of the similarity in their ministry; for just as Elijah will be the forerunner of His second coming, so John was the forerunner of His first. And He calls John "Elijah" to show that His first coming was in agreement with the Old Testament and with prophecy.

St. Jerome: He, then, who at the Savior's second coming will come in the reality of his own body, came now in John in power and spirit.

It follows, they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would; that is, they despised and beheaded him.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Just as he announced the Lord's coming, he was also to foreshadow His passion by the example of his own suffering and injustice. From this it follows, So also shall the Son of Man suffer of them.

St. John Chrysostom: He takes the opportunity of John's passion to refer to His own, thus giving them much comfort.

St. Jerome: It is asked how, seeing that Herod and Herodias were the ones who killed John, it can be said that Jesus was also crucified by them, when we read that He was put to death by the Scribes and Pharisees. It must be answered briefly: the party of the Pharisees consented to the death of John, and in the Lord's crucifixion, Herod added his approval when, after mocking and treating Him with contempt, he sent Him back to Pilate to be crucified.

Rabanus Maurus: From the mention of His own passion, which the Lord had often foretold to them, and from that of His forerunner, which they saw was already accomplished, the disciples perceived that John was being presented to them under the name of Elijah. From this it follows, Then the disciples understood that he spake to them of John the Baptist.

Origen of Alexandria: When He says of John, Elijah has come already, this is not to be understood as referring to the soul of Elijah, so that we do not fall into the doctrine of reincarnation, which is foreign to the truth of Church doctrine. Instead, as the Angel had foretold, he came in the spirit and power of Elijah.

1. Hom., lvii
2. Quaest Ev., i, 21