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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Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Be not afraid
60-0717 §31
Now, we're going to turn this afternoon to Saint Matthew for the closing message. And I tell you, I have to confess something. Saint Matthew, fourteenth chapter, twenty-seventh verse. And I want to confess something. I thought I was preaching just a little hard. And I'm a little timid of ministers, you see. They're shepherds. They should be a little suspicious, because they're feeding the flock of God. And the Holy Ghost has made them overseers. But when me, with my old, slow southern way... I used to think I was a...
Wisdom versus Faith
62-0401 §127
Yes, sir; yes, sir! Oh, I love that, don't you? Yes! Brings forth His... Brings forth of His fruits in His season (Genesis 1:11), brings forth His fruits. What fruits? The fruits of what? His fruits. What fruits? His own fruits. What fruit is it? The Bible, see. All of it's here, the fruit: love---it's here in the Bible; joy---here in the Bible; power; Holy Ghost; all these things here; divine healing; promises of God. That's the fruits. Here it is, and if he's planted in this, this is planted in the right kind of...
Hear ye Him
62-0711 §47
Now, in the Old Testament ... we find in the books of the New Testament, also in Galatians, and so ... how Paul, explaining it, He was placing a son. Like in the Old Testament, now, when a father had a great kingdom... You notice over here, also in the Bible, it says in Matthew, the 24th chapter, I believe it is ... or no, it's St. John, the 14th chapter. I'll take that one. Another English interpretation of it said, "In my Father's house is many mansions." Doesn't that sound kind of strange to us today? "In my Fat...
We would see Jesus
58-0612 §65
...raising up, has she got number 5? 9, all right. She's been called. Bring her over here. Over here, lady. All right. Number 10? Number 10, would you raise up? 10, all right. 11, 12? That's right. 12, 13? Right. 14, 14? Who has 14? All right. 15, 15, 16, 17, 18, 18? All right. 19, 20, 21, 22, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, -2, -3, -4, -5? How many we getting out there now? We don't too many standing in line? See how many's missing out of there now?
Seals 1: God hiding and revealing Himself in simplicity
63-0317M §63
Now, I want to read also in the book of St. Matthew's gospel, the 11th chapter of St. Matthew. Now, you bring your papers and things, because constantly... If you don't have a recorder, you bring your paper so we can get it. The 11th chapter of St. Matthew, the 25th and 26th verses... 11:26 and 27. All right. Jesus, speaking in prayer. I want to begin a little bit behind that. Let's make it the 25th and 26th verse. I believe that's where I announced though, for I had it marked here in my Bible. At that time Jesus a...