TDNT, Ἠλ(ε)ίας (Jeremias, J.)

Texts for the later Jewish conception of Elijah's significance

• 2 Chr. 21.12-19; Mal. 3.23
• Sir. 48.1-12a; Eth. Enoch 89.52; 90.31; 93.8
• 1 Macc. 2.58
• Damasc. ( --> 932)
• Philo only at Deus Imm., 136-39;
• Josephus, a repetition of the bib. narrative augmented from Menander, Ant. 8.324; 
• 4 Esr. 6.26; 8.109; S. Bar. 77.24; Sib II.187-89
• Mart. Is. 2.14-16; Just. Dial., 8, 5; 49, 1

Reasons for Elijah's prominence

• Miracles of E
• obscurity of his descent 
• (Gad, Ben, Levi)
• E as a helper in time of need; after E's rapture, E ranks with angels (Eth. En. 90.31) This seems to be testified in Mk 15.35. (up to here, 930)
• E is thought to be heavenly scribe who enters men's deeds in a book
• Israel's intercessor (Str.-B, IV 768; Sir 48.11)

Return of Elijah

• Mal 4.5; messianic; prepares way for king figure (3.1) by purifying the priesthood (3.2-4), est. peace (4.6); doling out wrath of YHWH (Sir 48.10); restoring tribes (4.6) 
• Returned Elijah's task will be ἀποκαταστήσει (LXX Mal 4.5; cf. Mk 9.12; Mt. 17.11), "the restitutio in integrum of the community of salvation for the reception of salvation" (933).

Elijah in NT

• Ps. 22.1/Mark 15.35
• Xn community did not adopt conception of E as helper; "it knew only one Helper in time of need, namely, Christ" (936).
• (This appears to be an undermining of the Jewish conception of Elijah; Mark may be demonstrating the Elijah is not the helper popular belief holds him to be, rather than stating that Jesus' messiahship is false. This could actually stand as another of Mark's reversals.) 
• JB as E, as forerunner. This has credence since JB does prepare the way of the Lord. Later Jesus declares JB to be Elijah, and in so doing, proves Elijah's role in the coming of the Messiah. Also, JB's appearance is supposed to remind us of E (936). Perhaps JB saw himself as Elijah returned (J. Klausner, Jesus von Nazareth, 333 ff.; W. Michaelis, 74; 84, n. 15; 86) (936)
• If JB can be seen as E returned, thenit shows that Jesus understands the ἀποκατάστασισ of Mal 4.5 (LXX) "not as political, but as a religious renewal of the people through repentance and forgiveness" (937). JB as E also demonstrates the nearness of Jesus' death, for, the forerunner of the Messiah has already ushered him in, and the fate of JB is already known by the transfig (Mk 9.13).
• "When the early community takes up this judgment that Elijah expectation is fulfilled in the Baptist (Mk. 1:2; Lk. 1:15 f., 76), it does so with full awareness that it is thus confessing the Messiahship of Jesus." (938).
• So, E's appearance has something to do with the proper understanding of Jesus. This makes sense. Jesus just told his disciples in 8 that he must suffer and die, and after their display of unbelief, Jesus takes them up the mountain, and there they see E, who is known as the suffering prophet who ushers in the Messiah. (But the question still remains as to how the whole of Mark's narrative is shaped by the texts and traditions of Elijah).
• Elijah and Moses appear at the Transfig as the precursors of Jesus (939; cf. Rev 11.3ff where E and M appear with eschat. signif., proclaiming the inaguration of the last time).
• In the Apoc. of Elijah (text from 3rd century, likely Christian influence) Elijah and his companion are suffering figures of the end times. Their appearance in Mk implies an intimation of the passion of Jesus, confirming the prophecy of Mk 8.31 ff. (939; cf. Lk 9.31, this is more clear as they speak of Jesus' coming "exodus", solidifying the connection between Jesus and Moses).

The Suffering Elijah

•   Elijah is involved in many Antichrist texts, such as Rev (3 1/2 days of disgrace, and then resurrection, along with Moses); with Enoch in Elijah Apc. and Enoch (see Bousset, Antichrist, 138 for many examples of Elijah's presence in eschat. literature) (940)
• Extra-bib. literature is important to engage with because "From the standpoint of biblical theology the establishment of teh date of the apocalyptic tradition of the martyrdom of the returning Elijah is of great importance. For it enables us to see that Mk. 9:12f. is right when it assumes that the idea of a suffering forerunner is not strange to the contemporaries of Jesus. Strong support is thus given to the historicity of Jesus (sic) prophecy of His passion and of His statements concerning the atoning power of His death." (941)

Evaluation

• Jeremias helpfully points out the tradition of E as a suffering prophet. Obviously it is important to look into the contemporaneous literature about Elijah as it gives a window into the popular thought concerning his role in the last days. Not much narrative development though.