Questions On Conflicting Names

Question 1. Can you please explain the fact that Jesus says John is Elias but John says that he is not?

Answer The passages you refer to are:

Mat 11:9 But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 10 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye are willing to receive (it,) this is Elijah, that is to come. and

Joh 1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.

In the first one, Jesus identifies John as the messenger prophesied who would prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah.  This messenger is identified in  Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.

The Jews who questioned John were looking for a literal coming back of Elijah.  John answered them according to the question they asked.  He was not literally Elijah.  Jesus said John was the messenger identified in Malachi as Elijah, that is to come, a figurative Elijah.Contact Larry

Question 2. In genesis (35;19)it states that rachael was buried in bethlehem but in 1 Samuel 10:2 it says someplace different?   is that just another word for Bethlehem? or is it a different rachael?

Answer Genesis 35:19 does not say Rachael was buried in Bethelehem. It says she was buried "ON THE WAY TO Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:16) "And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath…" Ephrath ("fruitful reginjon") is more of a common noun than a proper name, and there may have been several such in the land. Bethlehem is a town in a region Ephrath (Compare Micah 5:2). It was identified as to say Bethlehem  which was the best known or most important town in this region.

Another explanation: this way may be supplied before both nouns: "on the way to Ephrath which is on the way to Bethlehem." The region is mentioned first and afterwards a definite spot in the region. Jacob was coming from Bethel and had just passed Jerusalem and was approaching Ephrath when she died.

Rachael was buried just south of Jerusalem on the way to region Ephrath which is on the way to the city of Bethlehem. Joshua mentions Joshua 18:28  "Zelah" along with Jerusalem as being part of the inheritance of Benjamin. So Zelah was the actual "place" Rachael was buried and it was on the way to Ephratah on the way to Benjamin.

In Jeremiah 31:15  "…A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." Jeremiah is saying from her grave Rachael could be heard weeping, because of what was happening to her children, all the way to Ramah which was about five miles north of Jerusalem.  Contact Danny

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"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
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