Matthew 17:12

“But I say unto you, etc.] A way of speaking used by Christ, when he opposes and contradicts any of the tenets of the Scribes and Pharisees; (see <400522>Matthew 5:22,28,32,34,39,44) “that Elias is come already”; the person that was signified by, and prophesied of, under the name of Elias: for Christ refers not to the late appearance of Elias on the mount, but to the coming of a certain person some time ago; who came in the power and spirit of Elias, and was the forerunner and harbinger of him, the Messiah; as was said of him he should, “and they knew him not”; that is, the Scribes and Pharisees, who believed that Elias would come before the Messiah; and yet when he who was designed by him…”

“See also Mark 9:11-13. Why then say the scribes ... - The disciples appear to have been satisfied now that he was the Messiah. The transfiguration had taken away all their doubts, but they recollected that it was a common doctrine among the Jews that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came, and they did not then recollect that he had appeared. To this difficulty the word then refers. “We are satisfied that thou art the Christ, but Elijah has not yet come, as was expected; what, then, is the meaning of the common opinions of our learned men, the scribes? Were they right or wrong in their expectation of Elijah?” See the notes at Matthew 11:14. Matthew 17:11 Elias truly shall first come,…”

“Elijah is come already - And yet when the Jews asked John, Art thou Elijah? He said, I am not, Joh 1:21. His meaning was, I am not Elijah the Tishbite, come again into the world. But he was the person of whom Malachi prophesied under that name. Matthew 17:14”

“and they: Mat 11:9-15, Mat 21:23-25, Mat 21:32; Mar 9:12, Mar 9:13, Mar 11:30-32; Luk 7:33; Joh 1:11; Joh 5:32-36; Act 13:24-28 but: Mat 11:2, Mat 14:3-10; Mar 6:14-28; Luk 3:19, Luk 3:20; Act 7:52 Likewise: Mat 16:21; Isa 53:3-12; Luk 9:21-25; Act 2:23, Act 3:14, Act 3:15, Act 4:10 Matthew 17:13”