7. JESUS ANSWERS THE ELIJAH. Mark 9:11-13 11 And they asked him, saying, How is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come?--The scribes were learned men in the scriptures and in the traditions of the elders and were teachers of the Jews. They expected a literal fulfillment of Malachi's well known prediction concerning the coming of Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6), and under this influence the disciples were surprised that when he appeared in the mountain he did not remain to do the work predicted of him; hence their question. 12 And he said unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first,--He did not mean by this that Elijah was yet to come for he directly tells them he had come; but he meant to tell them it was a true doctrine which the scribes taught, that Elijah would appear before the coming of the Messiah. and restoreth all things:--That is, to put into the former situation. (Matthew 12:13.) Here it means to heal, to correct, to put in proper order. It means that Elijah would put things in a proper state; be the agent in reforming the people, of restoring them in some measure to proper notions about the Messiah, and preparing them for his coming. It is a brief summary of the prophecy concerning Elijah. and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be set at nought?--Henceforth he keeps the lesson of his suffering constantly before them. His suffering and death would be in the conformation of the "restoration of all things." It took these to complete it. After all, the disciples were not prepared for it when the hour came. This prepares the way for what is said regarding Elijah in the next verse. This was written of Jesus particularly in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. To be set at "nought" is to he esteemed as worthless, or as nothing; to be cast out and despised. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled. (Luke 23:11.) 13 But I say unto you, that Elijah is come,--John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Jesus teaches them a second time that Malachi used the name of Elijah figuratively to represent John the Baptist. and they have also done unto him whatsoever they would, even as it is written of him.--That is, they had done to John as they pleased--they had put him to death. Matthew (Matthew 17:13) adds the disciples then understood that he spoke of John the Baptist. See Luke 1:17.