Ephrem the Syrian

“The Jews sent to John and said to him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and said, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ They said to him, ‘Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘No.’ ” But our Lord called him Elijah, as Scripture attests. However, when they interrogated him, he said, “I am not Elijah.” But Scripture does not say that John came in the body of Elijah but “in the spirit and the power of Elijah.” Elijah, who was taken up into the heavens, did not return to them, just as it was not David who later became king but Zerubbabel. The Pharisees, however, did not ask John, “Have you come in the spirit of Elijah?” but “Are you Elijah himself?” That is why he said to them, “No.” Why should he have needed to be Elijah himself, if the actions of Elijah were to be found present in John? Elisha intervened and stood between John and Elijah, lest John be judged by them, since Elijah was taken up in a sacred chariot, whereas [John’s] head was carried away on a dish by a corrupt young girl.