Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



He shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, 'to reconcile fathers to their children' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him." Verse ConceptsHeraldPower, HumanSpirit, Emotional Aspects OfProphecies Concerning ChristForerunnersDivine MessengerCausing People To TurnPeople Going BeforeAcquiring WisdomFathers And SonsPowerful Individualsparentingdisobedience

And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come. Verse ConceptsJohn The BaptistAcceptance, Of Jesus ChristWho Is John The Baptist?People WillingEthicsIdentity In ChristThe Second Coming

"Some say John the Baptist," they answered, "Others, however, say that he is Elijah, while others again say Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets." Verse ConceptsUnnamed Prophets Of The LordWho He Might Beothers

"How is it," his disciples asked, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?" "Elijah indeed does come," Jesus replied, "and will restore everything; And I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people have not recognized him, but have treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man is destined to undergo suffering at men's hands."

"Elijah does indeed come first," answered Jesus, "and re-establish everything; and does not Scripture speak, with regard to the Son of Man, of his undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him just as they pleased, as Scripture says of him."

"What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No." "Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?" "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said." read more.
These men had been sent from the Pharisees; And their next question was: "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor yet 'the Prophet'?"

Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples, And asked--" Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for someone else?" The answer of Jesus to the question was-- "Go and report to John what you hear and see-- read more.
The blind recover their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are made clean and the deaf hear, the dead, too, are raised to life, and the good news is told to the poor. And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me." While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John: "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings! What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. This is the man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it. For the teaching of all the Prophets and of the Law continued till the time of John; And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come. Let him who has ears hear. But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates-- 'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.' For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said 'He has a demon in him'; And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

All these events were reported to John by his disciples. So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask--"Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for some one else?" When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'" read more.
At that very time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their sight. So his answer to the question was: "Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard--the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is told to the poor. And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me." When John's messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John: "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. What then did you go to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. This is the very man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of God is greater than he." (All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax- gatherers, having accepted John's baptism, acknowledged the justice of God. But the Pharisees and the Students of the Law, having rejected John's baptism, frustrated God's purpose in regard to them.) "To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like? They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!' For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying 'He has a demon in him'; And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax- gatherers and outcasts.' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John: "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings! What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. read more.
This is the man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it. For the teaching of all the Prophets and of the Law continued till the time of John; And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come. Let him who has ears hear. But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates-- 'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.' For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said 'He has a demon in him'; And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

When John's messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John: "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. What then did you go to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. read more.
This is the very man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of God is greater than he." (All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax- gatherers, having accepted John's baptism, acknowledged the justice of God. But the Pharisees and the Students of the Law, having rejected John's baptism, frustrated God's purpose in regard to them.) "To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like? They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!' For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying 'He has a demon in him';