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11. Ἡλίας ἔρχεται κ.τ.λ. ‘Elijah cometh and will restore all things,’ not will come first (A.V.). Our Lord’s words point to a fulfilment of Mal 4:5, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστελῶ ὑμῖν Ἡλίαν τὸν Θεσβίτην, πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν Κυρίου τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπιφανῆ ὃς ἀποκαταστήσει καρδίαν πατρὸς πρὸς υἱόν, καὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ μὴ ἔλθω καὶ πατάξω τὴν γῆν ἄρδην. Note the concise form of the Lord’s expression; it is not so much a citation as an allusion addressed to ‘those that know the law.’ By such ἀποκαταστήσει πάντα would naturally be interpreted by a reference to the precise words of Malachi. In the light of that prophecy the ἀποκατάστασις would signify a national restoration to unity under the influence of the Messenger of Jehovah.
ἀποκαταστήσει πάντα. Two questions arise in reference to these words, (1) How is the future to be explained? (2) In what sense were they fulfilled by John the Baptist? (1) If the prophecy be regarded as absolutely and finally fulfilled in John the Baptist the point of departure for the future ἀποκαταστήσει, and the present future ἔρχεται must be taken, not from the time when the words were spoken, but from the time when the prophecy was first uttered. Christ cites and affirms the prediction of Malachi. (2) The answer to the second question must be sought in the angelic message to Zachariah, Luk 1:16-17, πολλοὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν· καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἡλίου ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, ἑτοιμάσαι Κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον.
The view that regards the words as pointing to an event still in the future, and to the coming of another Elijah, of whom the first Elijah and John were types, is rendered improbable by the words quoted above, and by our Lord’s words in the next verse, Ἡλίας ἤδη ἦλθεν.