The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page cxxvii

GENERAL INTRODUCTION marked by the advent of one coming "in the name of the Lord". It cannot be said that after him Jesus is to come again, so the last stage in spiritual advance will still be marked by Jesus. The point is made clear by Jesus himself. Did he not say: Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew, 23:39). Only they will see, receive and acknowledge Jesus on his second coming who will first have accepted and acknowledged "the like of Moses". A denier of "the like of Moses" will not be able to recognize Jesus when he comes a second time. And why not? Because Jesus, when he comes again, will be found among the followers of "the like of Moses". Only they will be able to believe in the second coming of Jesus who will first have believed in "the like of Moses". Jesus, therefore, when he comes a second time, will be no independent teacher. He will be a strict follower and an image of "the like of Moses". The last stage of spiritual advance, therefore, will be marked by this "like of Moses," and by no one else. (c) We read in John (1:20-21) that people went to John the Baptist, and asked him if he were the Christ of the prophecy, and he said, No. Then they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not (1:21). Then they asked him, Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No (1:21). And then they said, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? (1:25) It is evident from this that three prophecies were current in the time of Jesus: (i) the second coming of Elias; (ii) the birth of Christ; (iii) the coming of that Prophet, that is, the Promised One of the prophecy in Deuteronomy. The three were believed to be separate persons. Now Jesus has declared that John himself is Elias. Thus in Matthew (11:14) we have: And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. From Luke (1:17) it also appears that before the birth of John, his father Zacharias had the revelation: And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias. Then in Mark (9:13) we have Jesus declaring: That Elias is indeed come. ci