But I say to you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they listed, as it is written of him.
Elias.
Matthew 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Matthew 17:12,13 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them…
Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
and they.
Mark 6:14-28 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him…
Matthew 14:3-11 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife…
Luke 3:19,20 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, …
and they have done to him whatever they wished
This phrase indicates the suffering and rejection that John the Baptist faced, paralleling the experiences of many prophets in Israel's history. John was imprisoned and eventually executed by Herod Antipas (Mark 6:17-29), reflecting the pattern of persecution faced by God's messengers. This treatment of John the Baptist serves as a foreshadowing of the suffering and rejection that Jesus Himself would endure. It underscores the theme of the cost of discipleship and the opposition faced by those who proclaim God's truth.
just as it is written about him.
This phrase suggests that the events surrounding John the Baptist's life and death were in accordance with scriptural prophecy and divine foreknowledge. While there is no specific Old Testament scripture that explicitly details John's fate, the general pattern of rejection and suffering of prophets is well-documented (e.g., 1 Kings 19:10, Jeremiah 26:20-23). This statement by Jesus reinforces the idea that John's mission and its outcome were part of God's sovereign plan, aligning with the broader narrative of redemption and the fulfillment of God's promises through Christ.
Jesus’ opening words underscore His sovereign authority to interpret prophecy and history. He corrects the disciples’ limited perspective in the same way He often said, “But I tell you” (Matthew 5:22; Luke 6:27), shifting them from human speculation to divine revelation. Just one verse earlier the disciples asked, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (Mark 9:11). By taking initiative, Christ settles the question once and for all, affirming every prophetic detail without ambiguity (Matthew 17:11–12).
• The prophecy of Malachi 4:5–6 promised Elijah’s arrival “before the great and terrible Day of the LORD.”
• Jesus identifies that promise with John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14; Luke 1:17), who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” calling Israel to repentance (Mark 1:2–4, quoting Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1).
• This does not deny Elijah’s literal Old-Testament ministry—nor his future role in end-time events—but confirms that John fully satisfied the “forerunner” requirement preceding Messiah’s first advent (John 1:23).
• John was resisted by the religious elite (Luke 7:30), imprisoned by Herod Antipas (Mark 6:17), and beheaded at Herodias’s demand (Mark 6:27–28).
• Jesus’ phrase mirrors Elijah’s experience with Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 19:2), showing that the same rebellious spirit opposed both men of God.
• The statement reminds the disciples that faithful service often invites persecution (Matthew 5:11–12; 2 Timothy 3:12), yet God’s purposes still prevail.
• Scripture foresaw both the triumph and the suffering of God’s messenger. Malachi linked Elijah’s mission with a warning of judgment on the unrepentant (Malachi 4:6).
• Isaiah foretold a “voice crying in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3), a ministry destined to clash with hardened hearts (Matthew 21:32).
• Jesus’ words affirm that every prophetic line stands true, reinforcing the reliability of the whole canon (Psalm 119:160; John 10:35).
Mark 9:13 reveals that John the Baptist fulfilled Elijah’s forerunner role exactly as foretold. Jesus, speaking with absolute authority, affirms that John came, called Israel to repentance, and suffered at the hands of a hostile world—precisely in line with prophetic Scripture. The verse assures believers that God’s Word is unfailingly accurate, His plans unfold on schedule, and faithful servants can trust Him even when opposition rises.
(13) As it is written of him.--The words are peculiar to St. Mark, and probably point (1) to the special prediction of the coming of Elijah in Malachi 4, and (2) to the parallelism between the career of the Baptist and that of the Tishbite prophet. What had been written of or for the one, the record of bold rebuke and consequent suffering for the Truth, had received its fulfilment in the other.