John 1:21 Commentary and Bible Study

They press him, ‘What then?’ If you are not the Christ, are you Elias, Elijah?’ They ask this because the Jewish people at that time took too literally the prophesy of Malachi, which says Elijah would come before the Christ. They did not realise that, not literally Elijah, but someone rather like Elijah for forcefulness and vehemence and outspoken boldness, somebody who was very spartan like Elijah, very simple in lifestyle would come first. John the Baptist corresponded exactly to that, but he was not Elijah. So he answered, ‘I am not.’‘Art thou that prophet?’ The one who Moses foretold, who was Christ of course, a prophet like unto Moses. But again the leaders of the people of that time thought that the prophet who was Christ, prophesised by Moses would just be another forerunner for Christ. ‘Well, are you another Moses?’, they said to him. And he answered, ‘No.’