Homilies on the Gospel of John

“What then? Are you Elias? And he says, I am not.”

For they expected that Elias also would come, as Christ declares; for when His disciples enquired, “How then do the scribes say that Elias must first come?” He replied, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Then they ask, “Are you that prophet? And he answered, No.” Yet surely he was a prophet. Wherefore then does he deny it? Because again he looks to the intention of his questioners. For they expected that some special prophet should come, because Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet of your brethren like me, unto Him shall you harken.” Now this was Christ. Wherefore they do not say, “Are you a prophet?” meaning thereby one of the ordinary prophets; but the expression, “Are you the prophet?” with the addition of the article, means, “Are you that Prophet who was foretold by Moses?” and therefore he denied not that he was a prophet, but that he was “that Prophet.”