Matthew 11:14
and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 11:14
and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus uses "if you are willing to accept it" not to question John's identity, but to highlight how drastically John's role, as the prophesied Elijah, defied the people's expectations. Their preconceived ideas about Elijah returning in person, rather than in spirit and power, made them resistant to the truth Jesus was revealing.
Jesus is responding to messengers sent by John the Baptist, who is imprisoned and beginning to doubt Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. Jesus assures them that John is a prophet, even greater than prophets of old, and then directly connects John to the prophecy of Elijah’s return to prepare the way for the Messiah, revealing that John is that Elijah. The implication is that John's ministry, like Elijah’s, serves a crucial preparatory role for God's kingdom, even if it doesn't match the people's expectations of a triumphant, conquering king.
The Old Testament predicted Elijah's return. But Jesus says John is Elijah. How can one person be another?
The prophecy in Malachi spoke of Elijah returning to prepare the way for the Messiah. The Jewish people expected Elijah to show up in person. However, Jesus clarifies this in Matthew 11:14, saying, 'if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.'
This doesn't mean John the Baptist was literally Elijah reincarnated. Instead, Jesus is saying John fulfilled the role and spirit of Elijah. He came with the same boldness, prophetic authority, and mission to call people back to God before the Messiah's arrival. As Luke 1:17 puts it, John came 'in the spirit and power of Elijah.' Think of it like a baton pass in a relay race – the same important task is continued, but by a new runner.
Jesus connects accepting John as Elijah with being 'willing.' Why is willingness so crucial here?
Jesus introduces the statement about John being Elijah with the phrase 'if you are willing to accept it.' This isn't just a casual remark; it highlights a critical aspect of receiving spiritual truth. The Jewish people had a specific expectation of what Elijah's return would look like, and John didn't fit their preconceived notions.
Their 'willingness' to accept Jesus' words depended on whether they were open to a truth that challenged their own ideas. It points to the fact that our will plays a huge role in how we process and believe what God reveals. If our will is set against a certain truth, even clear evidence might be rejected.
Understand the original words
Ēlias · Hebrew/Greek Proper Noun
A major Old Testament prophet associated with zeal for God, reform, and specifically prophesied to return as a herald for the coming of the Day of the Lord. In the New Testament, he serves as the archetypal forerunner of the Messiah.
The Jewish people widely expected Elijah to return in person to herald the Messiah. Jesus reveals that John the Baptist fulfilled this role not by being Elijah himself, but by coming 'in the spirit and power' of Elijah, a concept many struggled to accept.
c. 400 BC
Malachi's Prophecy
The prophet Malachi foretells the coming of a messenger, often identified as Elijah, who would prepare the way for the Lord.
c. 5 BC
Birth of John the Baptist
John the Baptist is born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, fulfilling divine promises. His birth is marked by angelic pronouncements that he would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.
c. AD 28
John the Baptist's Ministry Begins
John emerges in the wilderness of Judea, preaching repentance and baptizing. His ministry strongly resembles that of Elijah, fulfilling the prophetic expectations.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Identifies John as Elijah
Jesus speaks to the crowds about John the Baptist, identifying him as the promised Elijah who was to come, though acknowledging that many would not accept this truth.
This passage prophesies the coming of Elijah before the "great and dreadful day of the Lord," directly setting up the expectation that Jesus fulfills here concerning John the Baptist.
Luke 1:17This verse states that John the Baptist would go before the Lord 'in the spirit and power of Elijah,' explaining the nature of Jesus' identification of John as Elijah.
Matthew 17:10-13Here, Jesus directly connects Elijah to John the Baptist after his transfiguration, confirming that Elijah had indeed come and that the people did not recognize him, reinforcing the meaning of Matthew 11:14.
John 1:21This passage shows the Jewish leaders asking John if he is Elijah, to which he responds 'I am not.' This highlights the nuance that John fulfilled Elijah's role in spirit and power, not personal identity, which Jesus clarifies in Matthew 11:14.
barnesMatthew 11:14: "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come."
If ye will receive it - This is a mode 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 disposed to reject. This is Elias ... - That is, "Elijah." Elias is the "Greek" mode of writing the Hebrew word "Elijah." An account of him is found in the fir…
calvinMatthew 11:7-15: "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?"
- And as they were departing, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed, which is shaken by the wind? 8. But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? [8] Lo, they who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9. But what went you out to see?…
Jesus uses "if you are willing to accept it" not to question John's identity, but to highlight how drastically John's role, as the prophesied Elijah, defied the people's expectations. Their preconceived ideas about Elijah returning in person, rather than in spirit and power, made them resistant to the truth Jesus was revealing.
Jesus is responding to messengers sent by John the Baptist, who is imprisoned and beginning to doubt Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. Jesus assures them that John is a prophet, even greater than prophets of old, and then directly connects John to the prophecy of Elijah’s return to prepare the way for the Messiah, revealing that John is that Elijah. The implication is that John's ministry, like Elijah’s, serves a crucial preparatory role for God's kingdom, even if it doesn't match the people's expectations of a triumphant, conquering king.
Jesus is responding to messengers sent by John the Baptist, who is imprisoned and beginning to doubt Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. Jesus assures them that John is a prophet, even greater than prophets of old, and then directly connects John to the prophecy of Elijah’s return to prepare the way for the Messiah, revealing that John that Elijah. The implication is that John's ministry, like Elijah’s, serves a crucial preparatory role for God's kingdom, even if it doesn't match the people's expectations of a triumphant, conquering king.
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c. AD 30
John the Baptist Imprisoned and Executed
John is imprisoned by Herod Antipas for denouncing his unlawful marriage. He is later executed, a tragic end that contrasts with the triumphant return some might have expected for Elijah.
"and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come." — Jesus uses "if you are willing to accept it" not to question John's identity, but to highlight how drastically John's role, as the prophesied Elijah, defied the people's expectations. Their preconcei…