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Gospel   Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Jesus tells us elsewhere in Scripture that He did not come to abolish the law and the prophets, but He came to fulfill them. Here is a statement that affirms just that.  From our viewpoint of having the benefit of the New Testament to help us interpret the Old Testament, this story of may not puzzle us.  But the Jesus’ disciples, who had only the Old Testament (but also had the grace of the Person of Christ) may have been surprised or taken aback by this statement.

This fulfillment was, for them, among the many to come. Throughout Jesus’ lifetime the words of the prophets were fulfilled over and over - from the virgin birth to His final days on earth and beyond.

What can we learn from this passage? That Christ indeed came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets; and, the Christ will lead us to understanding as He led his disciples in this reading.

Peace be with you , as your seek understanding, and rejoice in the coming of Our Lord.

Ann

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