Pressed by Jerusalem’s priests — Are you the Christ? Elijah? that prophet? — John refuses every title but one: a voice. He is Elias, the forerunner, sent only to prepare the way for One greater, whose place he cannot fill.
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19This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20And he confessed and denied not that he was Elias, but confessed, saying, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, saying, How then are you Elias? And he said, I am not that Elias who was to restore all things.
And they asked him, saying, Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who are you? — that we may give an answer to them who sent us. What do you say of yourself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
24And they who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25And they asked him and said unto him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elias who was to restore all things, neither that prophet? 26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom you know not. 27He it is of whom I bear record. He is that Prophet, even Elias, who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to untie, or whose place I am not able to fill. For he shall baptize not only with water, but with fire, and with the holy ghost. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
19And this was the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to inquire, Who are you? 20And he did not deny that he possessed the Spirit of God’s messenger, but declared, I am not the Messiah. 21And they asked him, How then do you possess the Spirit of God’s messenger? And he said, I am not that messenger foretold to come and restore all things.
And they asked him, Are you the prophet Moses said God would raise up from among Israel, like unto Moses, in whose mouth God would put His words and he shall speak all that God commands him? And it will come to pass that whosoever does not hearken to that prophet, God will judge. Do you claim to be that prophet? And he answered, No.
22Then they asked, Who then are you? We are obligated to convey your answer to them that sent us. What do you say for yourself? 23He said, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as predicted would be sent by the prophet Isaiah.
24And the inquirers who were Pharisees asked him, 25Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, nor come as the messenger to restore all things, nor the prophet foretold by Moses to whom we must give heed? 26John answered, I baptize with water, but there is one standing among you, whom you do not acknowledge and I bear testimony of him. 27He is the one foretold by Moses, and he will preach following my witness of him. He has progressed beyond me so much that in comparison I am not worthy to kneel before him; his shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose, nor am I worthy to wash his feet. I could never substitute for him. He will baptize, not only with water, but also with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
Why could John confess he was Elias, yet deny being "that Elias who was to restore all things"? Six weeks before his death, Joseph Smith drew the very distinction that answers the priests — between the preparatory office of Elias, which John held, and the greater work that was to come after him.
Discourse, 10 March 1844, Nauvoo · as reported by Wilford Woodruff · Joseph Smith Papers ↗There is a difference between the spirit and office of Elias and Elijah. It is the spirit of Elias I wish first to speak of; and in order to come at the subject, I will bring some of the testimony from the Scripture and give my own.
In the first place, suffice it to say, I went into the woods to inquire of the Lord, by prayer, his will concerning me, and I saw an angel, and he laid his hands upon my head, and ordained me to a Priest after the order of Aaron, and to hold the keys of this Priesthood, which office was to preach repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, and also to baptize. But I was informed that this office did not extend to the laying on of hands for the giving of the Holy Ghost; that that office was a greater work, and was to be given afterward; but that my ordination was a preparatory work, or a going before, which was the spirit of Elias; for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist.
He came crying through the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." And they were informed, if they could receive it, it was the spirit of Elias; and John was very particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
He told the people that his mission was to preach repentance and baptize with water; but it was he that should come after him that should baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost. If he had been an impostor, he might have gone to work beyond his bounds, and undertaken to have performed ordinances which did not belong to that office and calling, under the spirit of Elias.
The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto.
When the doctors from Jerusalem came out to interrogate John, Nibley noted, he gave them no more than they were prepared to receive — sacred things are not handed to those who do not want them.
When John the Baptist was hailed before the Jewish doctors, according to Josephus, he told them: “I will not reveal to you the secret that is among you, because you have not desired it.” One receives as one is able to receive.