9Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 10And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
17:9
Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
Jesus’ many references to “tell…no one” refer to the idea that He did not want people to make Him king before God’s appointed time of the future kingdom. He did not want the disciples to tell about the Transfiguration on the Mount (preview of the kingdom) until after His resurrection.
17:10
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
The disciples questioned the reason for Elijah having to come before the Millennial kingdom.
17:11
Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.
The forerunner to the Messiah was to announce the coming King and kingdom in a restoration that would get everything ready for Christ’s reign on earth. However, Israel’s rejection of Jesus left the ultimate fulfillment of this restoration until the coming Millennial kingdom.
17:12
But I say to you that Elijah has come already,
Elijah had already come in the person of John the Baptist (Mal 4:5).
and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.
Religious leaders of John’s day rejected both John and his message.
Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.”
Jesus, as well, would be rejected by religious leaders, just as they rejected John.
17:13
Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Messiah—the herald of the coming kingdom.
PRINCIPLE:
The cross must come before the kingdom.
APPLICATION:
There are two advents of Christ. In the first advent, the cross must precede the crown. John the Baptist was the herald of that advent. Jesus “suffered” in His first advent. Ultimately He suffered on the cross.
The Transfiguration looked to a time in the future (after the resurrection). The Transfiguration was a preview of the coming kingdom. Elijah will be the herald of the coming kingdom (Re 11:3-6).
