Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 17:13

13 Then the Disciples understood, that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Mark saith, Ch. 9.12. He answered, and said unto them, Elias verily comes first, and restoreth all things, and how it is written of the Son of Man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him, whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. Our Saviour agreeth to the Promise, but sheweth their mistake, as to the true Sense of it. They understood the Promise of Elias the Tishbite ▪ the Promise referred only to one of his Spirit, and such a one was come, that was Iohn the Baptist, as the Angel told Zachariah, Luk. 1.17. He shall go before him in the Spirit, and Power of Elias. Very much of the Power and Spirit of Elijah, was Evident in Iohn. Elijah was full of Zeal for God, 2 Kin. 9, 10. So was Iohn the Baptist: Did Elias freely reprove, not only Baals Priests, but even Ahab and Iezebel? Iohn as freely reproved Herod and Herodias, and the Pharisees and Sadduces. Was Elias an austere Man? Such was Iohn the Baptist. Did Elias flee unto the Wilderness to save his Life? Iohn Baptist, for some time, lived and preached there. Elias living in a corrupt time, was a great means, or Instrument to restore decayed Religion: So was Iohn the Baptist, in the time wherein he lived. This notwithstanding▪ not the Iews only, but some Chr[illegible: 2 letters]tians▪ and that not only Papists, but some Protestants think, That besides the Elias, which is long since come, there is another Elias, who shall come before the end of the World; they found their Opinion upon this Text in a great measure. 1. Because our Saviour here saith, [non-Latin text not transcribed], he doth come first; and Mark saith, [non-Latin text not transcribed], coming first restoreth, all things; now Iohn the Baptist was both come, and gone; nor had he restored all things: Besides they say, that Iohn denied himself to be Elias, Ioh. 1.21. and it is plain, that not the Scribes and Pharisees, but the Disciples only understood the Prophecy of Elias the Tishbite, and Malachy saith, that Elias should come, before the terrible day of the Lord, which day they say, is the Day of Iudgment, in the constant Language of Scripture. But to all this is answered, 1. That the Baptist, Ioh. 1.21. only denied himself to be that Elias, about which they inquired, according to their Tradition. 2. That it is true, that the Disciples were led away with the Jewish Tradition, and looked for Elias the Tishbite, but Christ both here, and elsewhere correcteth their Error. 3. That not only the day of general Judgment, is called the terrible Day of the Lord, but the Gospel-time, Mat. 3.10. when the Ax was laid to the Root of the Tree, &c. So Acts 2.20. and the day of the Iews particular Judgment, which some understand hinted in those Texts. 4. That our Lord first repeateth the words of Malachy, and so he saith, Elias shall come, or is coming; and then he expounds the words of Malachy, of Iohn the Baptist. 5. That the words of Mal. 4.6. are expounded by the Angel, Luk. 1.16, 17. and there applyed to Iohn the Baptist. 6. That Iohn did fulfil the words of the Prophet. By indeavouring the Conversion of the Iews, and prevailing in a great measure. 7. That the last words in Malachy, Lest I smite the Earth with a Curse, plainly shew, That the Text in Malachy cannot be understood of the Day of Iudgment. And tho the Name of Elias be given to Iohn, yet it is no more than the giving the Name of David to the Messias, Ezeck. 37.24. So as, there is no other Elijah to be expected, but the Elijah prophecied of by Malachy, was (as our Saviour doth expound it) Iohn the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded. They knew him not, their Tradition blinded them so, as they could not discern the Prophecy of Malachy, fulfilled in him, so did unto him whatsoever they listed, and saith our Saviour) So shall they do with the Son of Man, that is, with me, who am the Son of Man.