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.
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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.
The Lamb and the Dove
57-0325 §76
...hundred. All right. Let's start out with O-1, then. See, one to a hundred. Look in your little card, little something smaller than that. Any newcomers whose got a O on it. And let's just line up a few, now. Right quick. Who has number 1? Would you stand up over here, or raise up, or raise your hand, or something? Are you sure you give one to a hundred? Is there no O-1? All right. We'll start from somewhere else then. What? Oh, I'm sorry ... sorry. All right. Lady, come over here. O-number-2. All right. Over here,...
Thirsting for Life
57-0728 §71
Prayer card 11, 14 and 15 is missing. Prayer card 11? No? 14? 14 is there? Good. All right. What was the other one? 15? It's prayer card, what? 11? You got it? Haven't got it. Prayer card 11. Have you got prayer card 11, lady? Here comes the lady now. All right. Now, how many more prayer cards is there out? Let's see your hand, people that's got prayer cards. There's thirty or forty, fifty yet in the building, that's got prayer cards. All right. I don't know how we're going to get through this line. I don't know. I...
Questions and Answers
61-0112 §91
QUESTION: "Are there two different types of Bible tongues? Is there a difference in tongues spoken in private prayer, and in the church where interpretation is required? On the day of Pentecost the tongues were understood by men of different nations; but in I Corinthians 14:2, unknown tongues spoke unto God, not unto men. I Corinthians 13:1 indicates to such men (C-o-r, I guess that's Corinthians 13) to such men and the others of angels. Oh, yes. See? Now, brother, ever who you are, you've answered yourself here. S...
What is the attraction on the mountain?
65-0725E §9
Now may we hurry up and get right into the Word, because I know that many of you are here, got long miles to travel tonight. I pray that God will bless you and help you and protect you along the roads. And now I wish to turn tonight to Saint Matthew, the twenty-first chapter, and verses 1 to 11, in Saint Matthew. And, now, if you don't have your Bible, or if you want to jot down these scriptures, all right.
Questions and Answers
62-0527 §67
Now watch here, here's the coming of John, Malachi 3: Behold, I ... send my messenger before my ... send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. You see that Malachi 3? Matthew now, watch Matthew the 11th chapter, and listen to this, and the 6th verse. Let's read now, Matthew 11, Jesus speaking. And now let's begin at the 11th chapter. A...