"John the Baptist" & "Spirt of Elijah:" Can you explain the relationship between "John the Baptist" and the "Spirit of Elijah?"[Malachi 4:4, Luke 21:20ff, Luke 1:17, Matthew 11:14, 1 Corinthians 2:14]. Elijah - "They Did Not Recognize Him:" What about the passage where Jesus is said to be Elijah, "but they did not know Him?" [Matthew 11:11-14, Matthew 17:12].