John the Baptist Elias: That Was to Come

I have this question: “We read in Matthew 11:14 and again in Matthew 17:1-13 that Jesus unmistakably points out John the Baptist as “Elias (Elijah) that was to come”. Our question is: “why does John the Baptist himself deny that he is Elias when interrogated on this point by the priests and Levites in John 1:21? Doesn’t it appear from these passages that John and Christ contradict each other?” Reply: The contradiction is only apparent. Elias typified the Baptist. Thus what Christ was telling...