Luke1:17

1

Elijah was one of the biggest Old Testament figures in the eyes of the New Testament era Jews, alongside Abraham, Moses and David.  This statement is saying that this new figure, whom we call John the Baptist, would be just as big a deal as Elijah and his work would have the same type of powerful impact and a similar spirit, i.e. passion and zeal. We can easily understand the comment about the spirit of Elijah for it fits well, however, the part about the power of Elijah we struggle to understand for John did not do any great miracles like Elijah did. So why the comparison? How did John operate in the power of Elijah? It has to do with the name Elijah, which means “my God is YHVH.” Both Elijah and John the Baptizer called people to recognize who the true God is and to choose Him as their God. For Elijah it was most prominently done in the encounter with the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel; for John it was his ministry along the Jordan river, proclaiming to the people that their Messiah was soon to come and they needed to repent to be ready to receive Him. Although John did not do miracles like Elijah did, he had a powerful impact in pointing people to God just like Elijah.

2

The Old Testament ends with God promising to send [another] Elijah, who will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:5-6, the very last verses of the Old Testament). The New Testament picks up that same terminology only 17 verses into Luke’s Gospel. Obviously, God wanted to bring together those who had been separated; obviously, God’s saving work has social as well as spiritual ramifications; obviously, the family is a key part of how God works; and obviously, the Gospel message is to be passed down from generation to generation.

The passage in Malachi goes on to say that if the reconciling of fathers and sons does not happen He, God, would have to strike the earth with a curse. Some have lamented the fact that the Old Testament ends with the word “curse.” I think the ending of the Old Testament creates a powerful linkage to the beginning of the New Testament because of how Luke reaches back to connect with this passage from Malachi, which lays out clearly the only options available to us. The options for mankind are either reconciliation or a curse. The story of Jesus is not complete without a proper understanding of the problem, which is sin and how it displeases God. Jesus Christ is the antidote for sin. Malachi set the stage for Christ’s coming with how he ended his prophetic writing.

3

The word used just prior to this and translated “make ready” means to arrange or make the necessary preparations. This word, translated “prepared,” means to build or construct something exactly as prescribed by the design given the builder, using a tool or implement for that purpose. John appears to have been that tool.

4

Inserting the word “coming” makes this statement much more powerful and brings it closer to its fully intended meaning. Remember that the Jews would often quote a verse from the Old Testament but leave out the most important part for the hearer or reader to figure out on his own. I think that is happening here. Malachi 4 said that if a change in heart did not happen God would be obliged to come and strike the earth with (another) curse. As Luke quotes Malachi, he implies that God is indeed coming, and we know that He did come in the person of Jesus Christ. As predicted by Malachi, the coming of God to earth went well for those with humble, contrite hearts, but it did not go well for those with proud, self-righteous hearts.