Elijah sources

Bock, D. L. "Elijah and Elisha." In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, eds.Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and Howard I. Marshall, 202-206. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1992.


OT

• Narrative: 1 Kgs 17-19; 21.17-29; 2 Kgs 1.2-16; 2.1-12
• Prophecy of his return: Mal 4.5-6 (MT 3.23-24)
• elijah will return to reconcile fathers and sons before the Day of the Lord. "This promise of Elijah's return also alludes to Malachi 3:1 and the messenger who goes before the Lord. This aspect of Malachi's prophecy influenced both Judaism and the Gospels" (203)

Ancient Judaism

• Sirach 48.1-12 - prophet-like fire whose word flames like a torch; will return to allay divine wrath, to reconcile father to son, to restore Jacob.
• 1 Enoch 89.52 (cf. 90.31) - spared sheep
• 1 Macc 2.58 - notes his zeal for the Law and that he was taken up alive to heaven (1 Macc 4.46 and 14.41 may refer to Elijah)
• Josephus' Ant. 8.13.1-8, 316-62 - summarizes Elijah's career
• 4 Ezra 6.26 (cf. 7.109) - speaks of the apocalyptic return of the men who were taken up to heaven without dying (e.g., Enoch, Moses [in Jewish trad.], and Elijah)
• Mishnah 
• 'Edduyot (8.7) - Elijah's future role as judge who settles disputes and declares which families are clean
• Sotah (9.15) - Elijah is responsible for the resurrection of the dead
• Summary: in Judaism the return of Elijah signals the arrival of the time of fulfillment, calls the people to reconciliation and brings judgment (cf. also Assumption of Moses 2.14; 1QS 9.11; m. B. Mes 1.8; 3.4)

Other Data

• Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (Deut 30.4) may refer to Elijah's return prior to the coming of the Messiah, but the date of the targum is uncertain, so it may not serve as evidence of Jewish expectations of Elijah to return before Messiah's coming (203).