NOTES for Sir 48:1-13

In the Gospel era, the figure of Elijah was surrounded by many traditions, often half-legendary. Many were connected with events mentioned in his book by Ben Sira (as the Jews called Jesus son of Sirach, the author of that book). The event in question was witnessed, according to the early prophetic traditions reflected in the First Book of Kings, by Elijah's disciple and follower Elisha. His testimony is enigmatic: he saw his teacher disappear as he headed towards a radiant heavenly chariot whose image had appeared in the distance.

The chariot most closely resembled the chariot of Yahweh that other prophets had also seen in their visions. Ezekiel described it most clearly. This departure of Elijah gave rise to the legend that the prophet had been taken alive into heaven, to the throne of God, and would return to earth before the coming of the Messiah, proclaiming His imminent appearance. Ben Sira wrote his book at a time when messianic expectations were very intense.

It is not surprising that he turns to this tradition. What is even more interesting is that the Saviour Himself points to John the Baptist as the Elijah so eagerly awaited by the people. Of course, He is speaking allegorically. In His words, John came in ‘the spirit and power of Elijah’. But if that is so, there must have been something in Elijah's ministry that linked him with John the Baptist. Something messianic, not in the historical but in the spiritual sense of the word. Ben Sira points to the miracles performed by the prophet.

As manifestations of God's power at work in the world, the miracles were, of course, striking evidence of God's closeness to His prophet and of Elijah's closeness to God. But there is more to it than that. The Saviour's miracles were not simply a manifestation of the divine power He bears within Himself. They were also evidence that the Kingdom of Heaven had drawn near. For the Saviour's miracles were not simply a manifestation of God's power: they were evidence that the Kingdom was truly close, that its powers and its breath were already at work in the world. Before Christ's coming, nothing of the kind could have happened.

Yet the Kingdom was revealed to the prophets of Israel, who saw both the Throne of Glory and the chariot of Yahweh. Before Christ's coming, a barrier separated our world from that Kingdom, sometimes almost transparent—at least to the prophets—but still completely impassable. Yet there were people for whom God made this barrier almost imperceptible. Elijah was one of those few people. Elijah, who in Gospel times became a symbol of the messianic Kingdom ready to enter the world.