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Selected Verse: Matthew 17:10 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 17:10	Strong Concordance	And [2532] his [846] disciples [3101] asked [1905] him [846], saying [3004], Why [5101] then [3767] say [3004] the scribes [1122] that [3754] Elias [2243] must [1163] first [4412] come [2064]?
	King James	And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
See also Mar 9:11-13. Why then say the scribes ... - The disciples appear to have been satisfied now that he was the Messiah. The transfiguration had taken away all their doubts, but they recollected that it was a common doctrine among the Jews that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came, and they did not then recollect that he had appeared. To this difficulty the word then refers. "We are satisfied that thou art the Christ, but Elijah has not yet come, as was expected; what, then, is the meaning of the common opinions of our learned men, the scribes? Were they right or wrong in their expectation of Elijah?" See the notes at Mat 11:14. Mat 17:11 Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things - He did not mean by this that Elijah was yet to come, for he tells them immediately Mat 17:12 that he had come; but he meant to affirm that it was a true doctrine which the scribes taught, that Elijah would appear before the coming of the Messiah. To "restore" means to put into the former situation. See Mat 12:13. Hence, it means to heal, to correct, to put in proper order. Here it means that Elijah would put things in a proper state; he would be the instrument of reforming the people, or of restoring them, in some measure, to proper notions about the Messiah and preparing them for his coming. Before the coming of John their views were erroneous, their expectations were worldly, and their conduct were exceedingly depraved. He corrected many of their notions about the Messiah (see Matt. 3), and he was the instrument of an extensive reformation, and thus restored them, in some degree, to correct views of their own system and of the Messiah, and to a preparation for his advent. Mat 17:12 Elias is come already - That is, John the Baptist has come, in the spirit and power of Elias. See Luk 1:17. They have done unto him whatsoever they listed - The word "list" is an old English word, signifying to choose, to desire, to be inclined. See Jdg 3:8. It means, here, that they had done to John as they pleased; that is, they had put him to death, Mat 14:10. Mark adds Mar 9:12 that Jesus told them that it was "written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things, and be set at naught." This was written of him particularly in Isa 53:1-12. To be set at naught is to be esteemed as worthless or as nothing; to be cast out and despised. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled. See Luk 23:11, Luk 23:14-21. This narrative, with some additions, is found in Mark 9:14-29, and Luk 9:37-43.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

See also Mar 9:11-13.

Why then say the scribes ... - The disciples appear to have been satisfied now that he was the Messiah. The transfiguration had taken away all their doubts, but they recollected that it was a common doctrine among the Jews that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came, and they did not then recollect that he had appeared. To this difficulty the word then refers. "We are satisfied that thou art the Christ, but Elijah has not yet come, as was expected; what, then, is the meaning of the common opinions of our learned men, the scribes? Were they right or wrong in their expectation of Elijah?" See the notes at Mat 11:14.

Mat 17:11

Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things - He did not mean by this that Elijah was yet to come, for he tells them immediately Mat 17:12 that he had come; but he meant to affirm that it was a true doctrine which the scribes taught, that Elijah would appear before the coming of the Messiah. To "restore" means to put into the former situation. See Mat 12:13. Hence, it means to heal, to correct, to put in proper order. Here it means that Elijah would put things in a proper state; he would be the instrument of reforming the people, or of restoring them, in some measure, to proper notions about the Messiah and preparing them for his coming. Before the coming of John their views were erroneous, their expectations were worldly, and their conduct were exceedingly depraved. He corrected many of their notions about the Messiah (see Matt. 3), and he was the instrument of an extensive reformation, and thus restored them, in some degree, to correct views of their own system and of the Messiah, and to a preparation for his advent.

Mat 17:12

Elias is come already - That is, John the Baptist has come, in the spirit and power of Elias. See Luk 1:17.

They have done unto him whatsoever they listed - The word "list" is an old English word, signifying to choose, to desire, to be inclined. See Jdg 3:8. It means, here, that they had done to John as they pleased; that is, they had put him to death, Mat 14:10.

Mark adds Mar 9:12 that Jesus told them that it was "written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things, and be set at naught." This was written of him particularly in Isa 53:1-12. To be set at naught is to be esteemed as worthless or as nothing; to be cast out and despised. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled. See Luk 23:11, Luk 23:14-21. This narrative, with some additions, is found in Mark 9:14-29, and Luk 9:37-43.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come Compare (Mat 11:14); (Mar 9:11-13); (Luk 1:17); (Mal 3:1); (Mal 4:5-6). All the passages must be construed together. (1) Christ confirms the specific and still unfulfilled prophecy of (Mal 4:5-6): "Elias shall truly first come and restore all things." Here, as in Malachi, the prediction fulfilled in John the Baptist, and that yet to be fulfilled in Elijah, are kept distinct. (2) But John the Baptist had come already, and with a ministry so completely in the spirit and power of Elijah's future ministry (Luk 1:17) that in an adumbrative and typical sense it could be said: "Elias is come already." Compare (Mat 10:40); (Plm 1:12); (Plm 1:17) where the same thought of identification, while yet preserving personal distinction, occurs. (Joh 1:27).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Why then say the scribes, that Elijah must come first - Before the Messiah? If no man is to know of his coming? Should we not rather tell every man, that he is come, and that we have seen him, witnessing to thee as the Messiah?

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
His disciples - instead of His disciples, some MSS., with the Coptic, Armenian, Vulgate, all the Itala except two, and Origen, read simply, οι μαθηται, The disciples, i.e. those only who had been with him on the mount, Peter, James, and John. Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? - As the disciples saw that Elijah returned to heaven, knowing the tradition of the elders, and the prophecy on which the tradition was founded, Mal 4:5, Mal 4:6, Behold I send you Elijah the prophet, before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come; and he shall turn the hearts, etc., it was natural enough for them to inquire what the meaning of the tradition, and the intention of the prophecy, were.

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³⁷ And [1161] it came to pass [1096], that on [1722] the next [1836] day [2250], when they [846] were come down [2718] from [575] the hill [3735], much [4183] people [3793] met [4876] him [846].
³⁸ And, [2532] behold [2400], a man [435] of [575] the company [3793] cried out [310], saying [3004], Master [1320], I beseech [1189] thee [4675], look [1914] upon [1909] my [3450] son [5207]: for [3754] he is [2076] mine [3427] only child [3439].
³⁹ And [2532], lo [2400], a spirit [4151] taketh [2983] him [846], and [2532] he suddenly [1810] crieth out [2896]; and [2532] it teareth [4682] him [846] that he foameth [876] again [3326], and [2532] bruising [4937] him [846] hardly [3425] departeth [672] from [575] him [846].
⁴⁰ And [2532] I besought [1189] thy [4675] disciples [3101] to [2443] cast [1544] him [846] out [1544]; and [2532] they could [1410] not [3756].
⁴¹ And [1161] Jesus [2424] answering [611] said [2036], O [5599] faithless [571] and [2532] perverse [1294] generation [1074], how [2193] long [4219] shall I be [2071] with [4314] you [5209], and [2532] suffer [430] you [5216]? Bring [4317] thy [4675] son [5207] hither [5602].
⁴² And [1161] as he [846] was [4334] yet [2089] a coming [4334], the devil [1140] threw [4486] him [846] down [4486], and [2532] tare [4952] him. And [1161] Jesus [2424] rebuked [2008] the unclean [169] spirit [4151], and [2532] healed [2390] the child [3816], and [2532] delivered [591] him [846] again [591] to his [846] father [3962].
⁴³ And [1161] they were [1605] all [3956] amazed [1605] at [1909] the mighty power [3168] of God [2316]. But [1161] while they wondered [2296] every one [3956] at [1909] all things [3956] which [3739] Jesus [2424] did [4160], he said [2036] unto [4314] his [846] disciples [3101],

¹⁴ Said [2036] unto [4314] them [846], Ye have brought [4374] this [5129] man [444] unto me [3427], as [5613] one that perverteth [654] the people [2992]: and [2532], behold [2400], I [1473], having examined [350] him before [1799] you [5216], have found [2147] no [3762] fault [158] in [1722] this [5126] man [444] touching those things [3739] whereof [2596] ye accuse [2723] him [846]:
¹⁵ No [235], nor yet [3761] Herod [2264]: for [1063] I sent [375] you [5209] to [4314] him [846]; and [2532], lo [2400], nothing [3762] worthy [514] of death [2288] is [2076] done [4238] unto him [846].
¹⁶ I will [3811] therefore [3767] chastise [3811] him [846], and release [630] him.
¹⁷ (For [1161] of necessity [318] he must [2192] release [630] one [1520] unto them [846] at [2596] the feast [1859].)
¹⁸ And [1161] they cried out [349] all at once [3826], saying [3004], Away with [142] this [5126] man, and [1161] release [630] unto us [2254] Barabbas [912]:
¹⁹ (Who [3748] for [2258] [1223] a certain [5100] sedition [4714] made [1096] in [1722] the city [4172], and [2532] for murder [5408], was cast [906] into [1519] prison [5438].)
²⁰ Pilate [4091] therefore [3767], willing [2309] to release [630] Jesus [2424], spake [4377] again [3825] to them [4377].
²¹ But [1161] they cried [2019], saying [3004], Crucify [4717] him, crucify [4717] him [846].

¹¹ And [1161] Herod [2264] with [4862] his [846] men of war [4753] set [1848] him [846] at nought [1848], and [2532] mocked [1702] him, and arrayed [4016] him [846] in a gorgeous [2986] robe [2066], and sent [375] him [846] again [375] to Pilate [4091].

¹ Who hath believed [0539] our report [08052]? and to whom is the arm [02220] of the LORD [03068] revealed [01540]?
² For he shall grow up [05927] before [06440] him as a tender plant [03126], and as a root [08328] out of a dry [06723] ground [0776]: he hath no form [08389] nor comeliness [01926]; and when we shall see [07200] him, there is no beauty [04758] that we should desire [02530] him.
³ He is despised [0959] and rejected [02310] of men [0376]; a man [0376] of sorrows [04341], and acquainted [03045] with grief [02483]: and we hid as it were [04564] our faces [06440] from him; he was despised [0959], and we esteemed [02803] him not.
⁴ Surely [0403] he hath borne [05375] our griefs [02483], and carried [05445] our sorrows [04341]: yet we did esteem [02803] him stricken [05060], smitten [05221] of God [0430], and afflicted [06031].
⁵ But he was wounded [02490] for our transgressions [06588], he was bruised [01792] for our iniquities [05771]: the chastisement [04148] of our peace [07965] was upon him; and with his stripes [02250] we are healed [07495].
⁶ All we like sheep [06629] have gone astray [08582]; we have turned [06437] every one [0376] to his own way [01870]; and the LORD [03068] hath laid [06293] on him the iniquity [05771] of us all.
⁷ He was oppressed [05065], and he was afflicted [06031], yet he opened [06605] not his mouth [06310]: he is brought [02986] as a lamb [07716] to the slaughter [02874], and as a sheep [07353] before [06440] her shearers [01494] is dumb [0481], so he openeth [06605] not his mouth [06310].
⁸ He was taken [03947] from prison [06115] and from judgment [04941]: and who shall declare [07878] his generation [01755]? for he was cut off [01504] out of the land [0776] of the living [02416]: for the transgression [06588] of my people [05971] was he stricken [05061].
⁹ And he made [05414] his grave [06913] with the wicked [07563], and with the rich [06223] in his death [04194]; because he had done [06213] no violence [02555], neither was any deceit [04820] in his mouth [06310].
¹⁰ Yet it pleased [02654] the LORD [03068] to bruise [01792] him; he hath put him to grief [02470]: when thou shalt make [07760] his soul [05315] an offering for sin [0817], he shall see [07200] his seed [02233], he shall prolong [0748] his days [03117], and the pleasure [02656] of the LORD [03068] shall prosper [06743] in his hand [03027].
¹¹ He shall see [07200] of the travail [05999] of his soul [05315], and shall be satisfied [07646]: by his knowledge [01847] shall my righteous [06662] servant [05650] justify [06663] many [07227]; for he shall bear [05445] their iniquities [05771].
¹² Therefore will I divide [02505] him a portion with the great [07227], and he shall divide [02505] the spoil [07998] with the strong [06099]; because he hath poured out [06168] his soul [05315] unto death [04194]: and he was numbered [04487] with the transgressors [06586]; and he bare [05375] the sin [02399] of many [07227], and made intercession [06293] for the transgressors [06586].

¹² And [1161] he answered [611] and told [2036] them [846], Elias [2243] verily [3303] cometh [2064] first [4412], and restoreth [600] all things [3956]; and [2532] how [4459] it is written [1125] of [1909] the Son [5207] of man [444], that [2443] he must suffer [3958] many things [4183], and [2532] be set at nought [1847].

¹⁰ And [2532] he sent [3992], and beheaded [607] John [2491] in [1722] the prison [5438].

⁸ Therefore the anger [0639] of the LORD [03068] was hot [02734] against Israel [03478], and he sold [04376] them into the hand [03027] of Chushanrishathaim [03573] king [04428] of Mesopotamia [0763]: and the children [01121] of Israel [03478] served [05647] Chushanrishathaim [03573] eight [08083] years [08141].

¹⁷ And [2532] he [846] shall go [4281] before [1799] him [846] in [1722] the spirit [4151] and [2532] power [1411] of Elias [2243], to turn [1994] the hearts [2588] of the fathers [3962] to [1909] the children [5043], and [2532] the disobedient [545] to [1722] the wisdom [5428] of the just [1342]; to make ready [2090] a people [2992] prepared [2680] for the Lord [2962].

¹² But [1161] I say [3004] unto you [5213], That [3754] Elias [2243] is come [2064] already [2235], and [2532] they knew [1921] him [846] not [3756], but [235] have done [4160] unto [1722] him [846] whatsoever [3745] they listed [2309]. Likewise [3779] shall [3195] also [2532] the Son [5207] of man [444] suffer [3958] of [5259] them [846].

¹³ Then [5119] saith [3004] he to the man [444], Stretch forth [1614] thine [4675] hand [5495]. And [2532] he stretched it forth [1614]; and [2532] it was restored [600] whole [5199], like as [5613] the other [243].

¹¹ And [1161] Jesus [2424] answered [611] and said [2036] unto them [846], Elias [2243] truly [3303] shall first [4412] come [2064], and [2532] restore [600] all things [3956].

¹⁴ And [2532] if [1487] ye will [2309] receive [1209] it, this [846] is [2076] Elias [2243], which [3588] was for [3195] to come [2064].

¹¹ And [2532] they asked [1905] him [846], saying [3004], Why [3754] say [3004] the scribes [1122] that [3754] Elias [2243] must [1163] first [4412] come [2064]?
¹² And [1161] he answered [611] and told [2036] them [846], Elias [2243] verily [3303] cometh [2064] first [4412], and restoreth [600] all things [3956]; and [2532] how [4459] it is written [1125] of [1909] the Son [5207] of man [444], that [2443] he must suffer [3958] many things [4183], and [2532] be set at nought [1847].
¹³ But [235] I say [3004] unto you [5213], That [3754] Elias [2243] is [2064] indeed [2532] come [2064], and [2532] they have done [4160] unto him [846] whatsoever [3745] they listed [2309], as [2531] it is written [1125] of [1909] him [846].

²⁷ He [846] it is [2076], who [3739] coming [2064] after [3694] me [3450] is preferred [1096] before [1715] me [3450], whose [3739] [846] shoe's [5266] latchet [2438] I [1473] am [1510] not [3756] worthy [514] to [2443] unloose [3089].

¹⁷ If [1487] thou count [2192] me [1691] therefore [3767] a partner [2844], receive [4355] him [846] as [5613] myself [1691].

¹² Whom [3739] I have sent again [375]: thou [4771] therefore [1161] receive [4355] him [846], that is [5123], mine own [1699] bowels [4698]:

⁴⁰ He that receiveth [1209] you [5209] receiveth [1209] me [1691], and [2532] he that receiveth [1209] me [1691] receiveth [1209] him that sent [649] me [3165].

⁵ Behold, I will send [07971] you Elijah [0452] the prophet [05030] before [06440] the coming [0935] of the great [01419] and dreadful [03372] day [03117] of the LORD [03068]:
⁶ And he shall turn [07725] the heart [03820] of the fathers [01] to the children [01121], and the heart [03820] of the children [01121] to their fathers [01], lest I come [0935] and smite [05221] the earth [0776] with a curse [02764].

¹ Behold, I will send [07971] my messenger [04397], and he shall prepare [06437] the way [01870] before [06440] me: and the Lord [0113], whom ye seek [01245], shall suddenly [06597] come [0935] to his temple [01964], even the messenger [04397] of the covenant [01285], whom ye delight [02655] in: behold, he shall come [0935], saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].

¹⁴ And [2532] if [1487] ye will [2309] receive [1209] it, this [846] is [2076] Elias [2243], which [3588] was for [3195] to come [2064].

⁶ And he shall turn [07725] the heart [03820] of the fathers [01] to the children [01121], and the heart [03820] of the children [01121] to their fathers [01], lest I come [0935] and smite [05221] the earth [0776] with a curse [02764].

⁵ Behold, I will send [07971] you Elijah [0452] the prophet [05030] before [06440] the coming [0935] of the great [01419] and dreadful [03372] day [03117] of the LORD [03068]: