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.
Revelation, Chapter 4c Throne of mercy and judgement
61-0108 §146
...ute, for just about ten minutes let's try something else here just a minute. Let's take some scriptures now, wrote down right here. Here they are. All right. Now let's take and see if Matthew up here now will guard it for divine healing. Got your pencils and things now, if you're writing this down? All right. See if Matthew divides ... will guard it. Let's take Matthew 10:1. Let's take and see if John... just one or two. Let's take two, or one or two of each one: John 14:12, and 15:7. See if they're guarding divine...
Revelation, Chapter 4c Throne of mercy and judgement
61-0108 §156
Now get right back to the eleventh, and then we're just about ready to close. Matthew 11, and I got 20 and 21, Jesus speaking. All these are Jesus speaking, now. Not a one of them but what Jesus is speaking, every one. And on the morrow, when they... ^^came near^^ Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree... That's when He cursed the tree, that's Matthew 21. I got... 12. Pardon me. Mark 11:21 and 22. And Peter calling to remembrance ^^said ^^unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst^^ in the wa...
Sir, we would see Jesus
63-1112 §43
Did you notice, one time, I made a statement like this. One time the disciples said to Jesus, in ... I believe in St. Matthew 6:11 ... or 11:6, I believe it is, pardon me, 11:6, I think it is. That the disciples of John came to Jesus and wanted to know if He really was the one. Now John had been ... introduced Him, and was laying in the prison. And now Jesus said, "Just stay until the service is over, then go back and show John what you saw." Now He never give him a book on how to behave himself in jail, or somethi...
He that is in you
63-1110E §38
Now, in the book of St. Mark, the 11th chapter; I John 4:4; and in Matthew 28:20, I wish to read. Now, first, I wish to read from St. Mark, the 11th chapter and the 12th verse to the 24th. Listen real close now as we read. And now this is going to back up for a little testimony and a few words of exhortation, and then we'll see what the Lord will have us to do. Everybody just remain seated, and be prayerful now as we read. Mark 11:12: And on the morrow, when they ... came from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a f...
The uncertain sound
60-1218 §150
Now, in Matthew 17---if you all want to put it down---Matthew 17:2, you find out there on the transfiguration... Now, if you got a Greek lexicon, you look at it there, on the transfiguration. It said, "And He was transformed... I believe that's ... Let me see if I got that just right now. Matthew 17. I got them all in here. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain... And was transfigured before them:... Now you know what the real Greek says He do...