10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here we have the disciples’ question, and our Saviour’s answer. They ask our Saviour, how the observation of the Jewish doctors holds good, that Elias must come before the Messias come? We see the Messias, but we see no Elias; our Saviour answers, that Elias was come already: Not Elijah in person, but one in the spirit and powers of Elias; one of his spirit and temper; to wit, John the Baptist, who was prophesied of under the name of Elias. And great indeed was the resemblance between the Elias of the Old Testament, and of the New, namely John the Baptist; they were both born in bad times; they were both zealous for God and religion; they were both undaunted reprovers of the faults of princes; and they were both hated and implacably persecuted for the same.
Learn, that hatred and persecution, even unto death, has often been the lot and portion of such as have had the zeal and courage to reprove the faults of princes; Elias is come, and they did unto him whatsoever they would.