Matthew 11:13

he thought here is hinted rather than fully expressed. It has been suggested that the sense would become clearer if Matthew 11:12-13 were made to change places (Maldonatus). This inversion might be justified by reference to Luke 16:16, where the two thoughts are given in the inverse order. Wendt (L. J., i. 75) on this and other grounds arranges the Matthew 11:13-14; Matthew 11:12. But even as they stand the words can be made to yield a fitting sense, harmonising with the general aim, the eulogy of John. The surface idea is that the whole O. T., prophets of course, and even the law in its predictive aspects (by symbolic rites and foreshadowing institutions) pointed forward to a Kingdom of God. The kingdom coming the burden of O. T. revelation. But what then? To what end make this observation? To explain the impatience of the stormers: their determination to have at last by all means, and in some form, what had so long been foretold? (Weiss). No; but to define by contrast John's position. Observe ἕως l. goes not with the subject, but with the verb Prophets (and even law) till John prophesied. The suggestion is that he is not a mere continuator of the prophetic line, one more repeating the message: the kingdom will come. His function is peculiar and exceptional. What is it? Matthew 11:14 explains. He is the Elijah of Malachi, herald of the Great Day, usherer in of the kingdom, the man who says not merely “the kingdom will come,” but “the kingdom is here”; says it, and makes good the saying, bringing about a great movement of repentance. εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι : the identification of John with Elijah to be taken cum grano, not as a prosaic statement of fact. Here, as always, Christ idealises, seizes the essential truth. John was all the Elijah that would ever come, worthy to represent him in spirit, and performing the function assigned to Elijah redivivus in prophecy. Some of the Fathers distinguished two advents of Elijah, one in spirit in the Baptist, another literally at the second coming of Christ. Servile exegesis of the letter. δέξασθαι has no expressed object: the object is the statement following. Lutteroth supplies “him” = the Baptist. In the θέλετε Weiss finds a tacit allusion to the impenitence of the people: Ye are not willing because ye know that Elijah's coming means a summons to repentance.