What Is the Difference Between Matthew 11:14 and 17:11-12?
1) Direct Answer
Matthew 11:14 identifies John the Baptist as the “Elijah” for that hour to forerun the Lord’s first coming. Matthew 17:11–12 shows both truths: Elijah “shall first come, and restore all things” (future), and “Elijah is come already” (present then, in John), whom they rejected.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Matthew 11:14: “If you will receive it, this is Elijah which was to come.” That’s Jesus unveiling John’s role to those with ears to hear (v.15).
- Luke 1:17 says John came “in the spirit and power of Elijah… to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” matching the first part of Malachi 4:5–6 and also Malachi 3:1, the messenger before the Lord’s face.
- Matthew 17:11: “Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things”—that looks ahead to a work of restoration. Then 17:12: “But I say unto you, that Elijah is come already,” and the disciples understood He spoke of John (v.13). So Jesus points to a present fulfillment in John and a still-future restoration.
- John 1:21 shows John was not literally Elijah the Tishbite; he bore the anointing and ministry pattern.
- Acts 3:21 speaks of the “times of restitution of all things,” which matches “restore all things” in Matthew 17:11, pointing to the end-time phase before the Lord’s return.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- John prepared a people and pointed to the Lamb (John 1:29). He did not “restore all things.” Therefore, Matthew 17:11 cannot be exhausted by John. It promises a future Elijah-work of restoration.
- So Matthew 11:14 = John identified as Elijah for the first coming. Matthew 17:11–12 = both the recognition of John already come and the prophecy of an Elijah ministry yet to come to restore all things before Christ’s appearing.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” You see, the same God who sent Elijah’s spirit to forerun the first coming has promised a restoring work before the second. That’s the mystery held in those two passages.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
55-0806 §68
Number 8. All right. Number 9. Who has prayer card number 9? Prayer card number 9, would you raise your hand? Not here? Prayer card number 10, would you raise your hand? All right, lady, prayer card number 10. Prayer card 11, would you raise your hand? Prayer card 11? 12? Prayer card 12? All right. Now which one ... which was you lady? 12? Which was you, sister? Now, there can't be two 12's. Now, there's got to be something wrong. Eleven. All right. That's 11 and 12. All right. Prayer card 13? Prayer card 13? No. P...
Be not afraid
63-0607 §91
The boy brings these cards down now, and gives these out. He brings them up before the congregation, mixes them all up, and just gives you a prayer card. No matter where you're at or who you are, you get it. And then, one might get the number 1, the other one 15, the other one... And then, they don't know yet where we're going to call from, see. And so, I just come here and... What have we called? 5, 6, 7. 6? Hold up your hand if you got 6. Fine. 7, number 7? All right. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. 14? Now wait a minu...
We would see Jesus
62-0704 §78
They come down, the boy does, and takes these prayer cards and stands up before you. He mixes them together, then he just starts giving you a prayer card. You might get 6, and the other one get 14. Come over here, lady. 4, 5. And then who has 5, raise up your hand. Prayer card number 5. And then another thing when he... Right down here, lady. And then another thing they do in that, then sometimes I call from one place... How many was ever in a meeting before, one of our meetings? Oh, well, I thought I was amongst s...
We would see Jesus
59-0422 §50
...ew of the prayer line. Each night, we call a hundred people, about, or maybe more if we can. Let's just call a short group of them tonight, just because we get out on time, and you come back again tomorrow night. Where's Billy Paul? Prayer cards A-1 to 100 is what he gave out. Now, let's have A number 1. Let's start from number 1, just bring a few of them. Who has number 1? Just raise up your hand. Now, it may be somebody in these chairs can't raise up. To the left? All right. A number 1, would you come right here,...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 9:E-48
We are going to look at this carefully. It says that this Laodicean church age group is lukewarm. This lukewarmness demands a penalty from God. The penalty is that they will be spued out of His mouth. Here is where we don't want to go astray as a lot of folks do. They very unwisely say that God can spue you out of His mouth and that proves that there is no such thing as any truth to the doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints. I want to correct your thinking right now. This verse is not given to an individual. I...