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.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 5:E-80
Babel is the original name for Babylon. It means confusion. It was literally started by Cush, the son of Ham, but was brought to a kingdom of power and grandeur under his son, Nimrod, the mighty hunter. Nimrod, according to the Genesis eleven account and also according to profane history, set out to accomplish three things. He wanted to build a strong nation, which he did. He wanted to propagate his own religion, which he did. He wanted to make a name for himself, which he also accomplished. His accomplishments wer...
God-called Man
58-1005E §90
...e come? Number 7, number 8, who has prayer card 8? Already got it? Number 9? 8, number 8, we want you get it now. Maybe somebody outside, if they are, somebody raise their hand or some somebody outside who couldn't get in. Number 8? Brother Collins, is there anybody back there, prayer card number 8 trying to get in? All right, prayer card number 8. All right number 9. Prayer card 9, raise up your hand. Maybe they went out, couldn't get in. If they come in, put them in the line. Number 10, raise up your hand. The ma...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 8:E-80
Let me show you what I have been trying to teach all along about the two vines which come from two different spirits. Take the example of Jesus and Judas this time. Jesus was the Son of God. Judas was the son of perdition. God entered into Jesus. Satan entered into Judas. Jesus had a full Holy Ghost ministry for "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Acts 10:38. It says "For he(Judas)...
We would see Jesus
60-0708 §79
Now, if you get a prayer card, you keep it yourself. Don't take it off and give it to a neighbor. Let the neighbor come and hear the instructions too, if they're going to be prayed for. The prayer cards are inexchangeable, be turned out of line, see. Now, you must hear the message yourself, come for yourself. And now, if you miss your turn, then remember we called your number. Eight not here? Don't get one and then leave the building. Stay with it, stay here. All right. 8, 9? 9? Someone with prayer card... All righ...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 4:E-75
We all know that the second death is the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Of course that means all those who were therein, were cast into the lake of fire. Now then, I want to bring out something here for you. It no doubt will cause people to comment on my strange doctrine. But I stand here on the authority of the Word of God and deny that the unbeliever goes to an eternal hell and burns there eternally. In the first place, hell, or the...