Early Christian Beliefs About Elijah the Prophet

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

I mean Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among the prophets, with those others to whom a like testimony is borne [in Scripture].

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

We name His prophets Elias, and Eliseus, and Ezekiel, and John.

Wisdom of Sirach 48:1 Background

Then stood up Elijah the prophet as fire, And his word burned like a lamp.

Wisdom of Sirach 48:4 Background

O Elijah, how wast thou honored in thy wondrous deeds! And who may glory like unto thee!

1 Maccabees 2:58 Background

Elijah for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.

1 Kings 17:1 Background

Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”

1 Kings 18:1 Background

After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

... our Lord in His teaching," I continued, "proclaimed that this very thing would happen, saying that Elijah would also come. And we know that this will take place when our Lord Jesus Christ comes in glory from heaven; whose first appearance was preceded by the Spirit of God in Elijah as a herald through John, a prophet among your people; after whom no other prophet appeared among you. He cried, as he sat by the river Jordan: ‘I baptize you with water for repentance; but He that is mightier than I shall come, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire: His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean His threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into the barn; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.’ And this very prophet your king Herod had imprisoned; and when his birthday was celebrated, and the niece of the same Herod by her dancing had pleased him, he told her to ask for anything she wanted. Then the mother of the girl prompted her to ask for the head of John, who was in prison; and having asked it, [Herod] sent and ordered the head of John to be brought in on a platter. Therefore also our Christ said, [whe

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

whose first manifestation the Spirit of God who was in Elijah preceded as herald in [the person of] John, a prophet among your nation;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...d many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." For whom, then, did he prepare the people, and in whose sight was he made great? Truly the One who said that John was "more than a prophet," and that "among those born of women, none is greater than John the Baptist," who also prepared the people for the Lord's coming, urging his fellow servants and preaching repentance to them, so they might receive forgiveness from the Lord when He appeared, having turned back to Him from whom they had been separated because of sins and transgressions. As David also says, "The alienated are sinners from birth: they go astray as soon as they are born." Because of this, he turned them to their Lord, preparing, in the spirit and power of Elias, a perfect people for the Lord.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...omised to send His messenger before Him—John, crying in the wilderness, in "the spirit and power of Elias," "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths before our God." The prophets did not announce different gods, but one and the same God, under various aspects and many titles. The Father is diverse and rich in attributes, as I have already shown in the book before this one, and I will demonstrate this truth from the prophets themselves as this work progresses. Towards the end of his Gospel, Mark also says: "So then, after the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sits on the right hand of God," confirming what the prophet had spoken: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.'" Thus, God and the Father are truly one and the same; the one announced by the prophets and handed down by the true Gospel; whom we Christians worship and love wholeheartedly as the Maker of heaven and earth and all things within.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Direct teaching

...ration might have had some basis. But he said, “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” For Scripture clearly knows the distinction between spirit and soul, as in the words, “May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:23. And the passage, “Bless the Lord, you spirits and souls of the righteous,” as it stands in the book of Daniel according to the Septuagint, also shows the difference between spirit and soul. Elijah, therefore, was not called John because of the soul, but because of the spirit and the power. This in no way conflicts with the teaching of the church, though these were formerly in Elijah and afterward in John. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,” 1 Corinthians 14:32, but the souls of the prophets are not subject to the prophets. And “the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha,” 2 Kings 2:15. But we ought to inquire whether the spirit of Elijah is the same as the Spirit of God in Elijah, or whether they are different from each other. And we should ask whether the spirit of Elijah which was in him was something supernatural, different from

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

... Baptist says in Matthew, when he sees many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism. Clearly, they did not have the fruits of repentance, and like Pharisees they proudly claimed within themselves that they had Abraham as their father. For this John rebukes them, since he has the zeal of Elijah through the working of the Holy Spirit. For this is a word of rebuke: "Do not think to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'" And this is the word of a teacher, when he speaks of those who, because of their stony hearts, are called unbelieving stones, and says that by the power of God these stones may be changed into children of Abraham. For they were present before the eyes of the prophet and did not draw back from his divine gaze. So he says, "I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham." And since they came to his baptism without having produced fruit fit for repentance, he says to them very appropriately, "Already the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." This is like saying to them: since you have come to baptism without having produced frui

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

...it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." John 1:21: And they asked him again, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He said, "No." John 1:22: Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" John 1:23: He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said." John 1:24: And those who were sent were from the Pharisees. John 1:25: And they asked him, "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John 1:26: John answered them, "I baptize with water. But among you stands one whom you do not know. John 1:27: He is the one I spoke of, who comes after me and was before me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal." John 1:28: These things happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

... statements. We may now take it up. According to Heracleon, the Savior calls him both a prophet and Elijah, but John himself denies that he is either. When the Savior, Heracleon says, calls him a prophet and Elijah, He is speaking not about John himself, but about his surroundings. But when He calls him greater than the prophets and greater than those born of women, then He is describing John’s own character. When John, on the other hand, is asked about himself, his answers refer to himself, not to his surroundings. We have examined this as carefully as possible, comparing each of the terms in question with Heracleon’s statements, in case he had not expressed himself quite accurately. For he makes no attempt at all to show how the statements that John is Elijah and that he is a prophet apply to those around him, while the statement that he is “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” applies to John himself. Heracleon gives only one illustration, namely this: John’s surroundings were, so to speak, his clothes, and were something other than himself; and if he were asked about his clothes, as if he were his clothes, he could not answer yes. Now as far as I can see, the idea that

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

...spirit from Moses and placed it on Joshua while Moses was still among men, God was also able to let Elijah's spirit come upon John. This was so that, just as Christ appeared humble at His first coming, the first coming of the spirit, which remained pure in Elijah like that of Christ, could also be seen as humble. For the Lord said He would fight against Amalek with a hidden hand, and you cannot deny that Amalek was defeated. But if it is said that only in the glorious coming of Christ will war be waged with Amalek, how great will the fulfillment of Scripture be, which says, 'God will fight against Amalek with a hidden hand!' You can see that the hidden power of God was in Christ the crucified, before whom demons and all the rulers and powers on earth tremble."

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness

Whence they understood that Elijah's spirit was presently conferred upon him.

Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness

... have the answer in the angel's announcement: "And he shall go before the people," he says, "in the spirit and power of Elias"—not, notice, in his soul and his body. These belong naturally to each individual. But spirit and power are given as outward gifts by the grace of God, and so they may be transferred to another person according to the purpose and will of the Almighty, as happened long ago in the case of the spirit of Moses.

Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness

How, therefore could John be Elias? You have your answer in the angel's announcement: And he shall go before the people, says he, in the spirit and power of Elias — not (observe) in his soul and his body.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

... than you who express these opinions. We all expect that Christ will be a man born of men, and that Elijah will anoint him when he comes. But if this man appears to be Christ, he must certainly be recognized as a man born of men; yet because Elijah has not yet come, I conclude that this man is not the Christ."

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

...when I have risen from among the dead'?" His disciples asked him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said to them, "Elijah does come first to set everything in order. And as it is written of the Son of Man, he will suffer many things and be rejected. But I say to you that Elijah has come, and they did not know him. They did to him whatever they wished, as it was written of him. In the same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer from them." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

The disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Matthew 17:10 The disciples who had gone up the mountain with Jesus remembered the traditions of the scribes about Elijah: that before the coming of Christ, Elijah would come and prepare for Him the souls of those who were going to receive Him. But the vision on the mountain, where Elijah appeared, did not seem to agree with what had been said. To them it seemed that Elijah had not come before Jesus, but after Him. Therefore they said these things, thinking that the scribes were lying. But the Savior answers this, not setting aside the traditions about Elijah. Instead, He says that there was another coming of Elijah before that of Christ, of which the scribes were ignorant. Since they were ignorant of him, they had done to him whatever they wished, Matthew 17:12 as though they had shared in the guilt of Herod’s putting him in prison and killing him. Then He says that, just as they had acted toward Elijah, so He would suffer at their hands. Matthew 17:12 These, then, were the things the disciples asked about Elijah, and the Savior answered. But when they heard, they understood that the words,

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

Wherefore also our Christ said, [when He was] on earth, to those who were affirming that Elijah must come before Christ: ‘Elijah shall come, and restore all things;

Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist Supporting witness

It is a matter of course that His forerunners must appear first, as He says by Malachi and the angel, I will send to you Elias the Tishbite before the day of the Lord, the great and notable day, comes;

Malachi 4:5 Background

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Mark 9:11 Background

And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

John 3:22 Background

And, behold, I will send to you Elijah the Tishbite, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes;

1 Kings 18:15 Background

And Elijah said, As the Lord of Hosts before whom I stand lives, today I will appear before him.

Matthew 17:12 Background

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.

Mark 9:12 Background

And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

Matthew 11:14 Background

and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...y seven thousand holy men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal, 1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4, Elijah alone among them, and his disciple Elisha, were workers of miracles. Yet Elijah did not despise Obadiah the steward, who feared God but worked no signs. Nor did Elisha despise his own disciple when he trembled at the enemies, 2 Kings 6. Moreover, neither the wise Daniel, who was twice delivered from the mouths of lions, nor the three children who were delivered from the furnace of fire, despised the rest of their fellow Israelites. For they knew that they had not escaped these terrible troubles by their own strength. Rather, by the power of God they both worked miracles and were delivered from troubles. Therefore let none of you exalt himself over his brother, even if he is a prophet or a worker of miracles. For if it should happen that there is no longer any unbeliever, then from now on the whole power of signs would be unnecessary. For being pious comes from a person's good disposition, but working wonders comes from the power of Him who works them through us. The first concerns ourselves, but the second concerns God who works them, for the reasons we have already mention

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background

...? Some even had children, while conducting themselves in marriage with self-control. Ravens brought Elijah food, bread and meat. And the prophet Samuel gave Saul the shoulder to eat, which had been brought from what he had left over from what had been eaten. But these people, who say that they surpass others in their way of life, cannot even be compared with those men's actions. Therefore let not the one who does not eat despise the one who eats. And let not the one who eats judge the one who does not eat. For God has accepted him. Romans 14:3 Indeed, the Lord also says about Himself, "John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a gluttonous man and a drinker of wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'" Matthew 11:18-19 Do they also reject the apostles? For Peter and Philip had children. Philip even gave his daughters in marriage. And Paul certainly is not afraid, in a certain letter, to call her his wife, though he did not take her around with him, because he had no great need of such service. So he says in a certain letter, "Do we not have the right to take along a sister-wife, as th

Cyprian, Treatises Typology

...ing work the life according to the flesh is treated as of little account, the soul according to the Spirit is preserved. Therefore Elijah, being a type of Christ and showing that in His mercy He returns to each person his reward, answered and said, "Thus says the Lord, The jar of flour shall not fail, and the jug of oil shall not run out, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth." 1 Kings 17:14 According to her faith in the divine promise, the things she gave were multiplied and increased for the widow. Her righteous works and deserving acts of mercy received growth and increase, and the containers of flour and oil were filled. Nor did the mother take away from her children what she gave to Elijah. Rather, by her kind and godly action, she gave something to her children. And she did not yet know Christ. She had not yet heard His commands. She was not yet repaying food and drink for His blood as one redeemed by His cross and passion. So from this it may be seen how greatly that man sins in the Church who puts himself and his children before Christ, keeps his wealth for himself, and does not share his abundant property with the poverty of the needy.

Commodianus, Writings Supporting witness

...elf will divide the globe into three ruling powers. Moreover, Nero will be raised up from hell, and Elias will first come to seal the beloved ones. At that time, the region of Africa, the northern nation, and the whole earth on every side will tremble for seven years. But Elias will occupy half of the time, and Nero will occupy half. Then the whore Babylon, having been reduced to ashes, will send its embers from there to Jerusalem. And the Latin conqueror will then say, "I am Christ, whom you always pray to." And indeed, the original ones who were deceived will unite to praise him. He does many wonders, since his is the false prophet. Especially so that they may believe him, his image will speak. The Almighty has given it power to appear so. The Jews, repeating the Scriptures from him, cry out at the same time to the Highest that they have been deceived.

Tertullian, On Fasting Supporting witness

I return likewise to Elijah. When the ravens had been wont to satisfy him with bread and flesh, why was it that afterwards, at Beersheba of Judea, that certain angel, after rousing him from sleep, offered him, beyond doubt, bread alone, and water?

Cyprian, Treatises Typology

Therefore Elias, being the type of Christ, and showing that according to His mercy He returns to each their reward, answered and said: Thus says the Lord, The vessel of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not be diminished, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth.

Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness

not by way of resuming a life which he had laid aside, but of fulfilling prophecy — really and truly the same man, both in respect of his name and designation, as well as of his unchanged humanity.