“But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” (Matthew 17:12).
According to Jewish belief Elijah who was taken up into heaven would return before the coming of Messiah (Malachi 3:23). The expression of Jesus, ‘Elijah has already come’ (Mt. 17:12) is symbolic and does not refer to any kind of reincarnation. By this Jesus indirectly refers to the mission of John the Baptist whose life and mission was very much identical to that of Elijah.
Malachi prophesied that the spirit of Elijah is said to “turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers” (Mal. 3:24) meaning a change of heart with people. Similar prophecy/announcement is made by angel Gabriel about John the Baptist, “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17).
Both preached repentance and called for change of heart. They were persecuted by religious and civil rulers. Elijah came to “restore all things”, and John preached to make straight the Lord’s path. John the Baptist suffered death under Herod, so the Son of Man Jesus would suffer the same fate. Just as they did not receive John the Baptist as the messenger of God, so they do not receive Jesus as the Anointed Son of God.
As bearers of the name and mission of Christ by virtue of our baptism, any experience of rejection and persecution should not surprise us. Paul teaches us the right attitude to the sufferings of Christians, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church” (Col. 1:24).
The life and mission of ELIJAH-the great Messianic prophet, JOHN THE BAPTIST-the predecessor of Messiah and finally with CHRIST – the Messiah himself; makes it clear that we cannot be exempted from sufferings if we truly follow Christ. Our sufferings become meaningful when we suffer with Christ, Amen.
Fr. Jerry Joseph Vallomkunnel MCBS