Now, this was the purpose of the prophecy of the blessed
Messenger, which he delivered to the people concerning matters affecting them,
both at that time and at the time of the Maccabees. Yet since he was thus the
last prophet of all those who consigned their prophecies to writing, he was
right in considering he could then show the end of the Law, on the one hand,
and, on the other, show what would come after it. [632] Hence he says, Remember the Law of Moses my servant, as I
gave directions at Horeb as commands and ordinances for all Israel. Lo, I shall
send you Elijah the Tishbite before the great and illustrious day of the Lord
comes, which will reconcile a heart of a father to a son, and a person’s heart
to their neighbor, lest I come and strike the earth from on high (vv. 4–6):
in addition to all that has been said I transmit this final command to you so
that you may keep in mind my Law that I gave to the whole of Israel through
Moses, having clearly stated that they must observe it in detail. The first
token of obedience you will provide, then, will be acceptance of the coming of
Christ the Lord, who comes for the salvation of all people: he will bring the
Law to an end and make clear his own way of perfection. It would therefore be
good for you immediately and at the outset to believe in him at his appearance,
and acknowledge him to be the one whom Moses and all the prophets predicted as
bringing an end to the Law and revealing the salvation of all in common. So it
is also obvious to all that this is the summit and highest good of the whole
economy of the Law, bringing all people to Christ the Lord, who appeared at
that time for such wonderful benefits. Since, however, even at his revealing
you will give evidence of your typical lack of responsiveness, blessed Elijah will
be sent to you before the second coming of Christ the Lord, which he will make
from heaven, so as to unite people divided over religion, and especially
through the knowledge of religion to bring parents into harmony with their
children who were formerly divided on the score of religion. In short, to
reduce all people to the one and the same unity, so that those formerly in the
grip of impiety may receive the knowledge of the truth through him and thus
enjoy fellowship with religious people. God will do this in his concern for the
salvation of all people, lest they persist in impiety and experience his
fearsome coming, which will mean the utter annihilation of the wicked.(Theodore
of Mopsuestia, Commentary on the Twelve Prophets, ed. Thomas P. Halton
[trans. Robert C. Hill; The Fathers of the Church 108; Washington, D. C.: The
Catholic University of America Press, 2004], 422-23)
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