And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
The question belongs to the transfiguration account, raised after Elijah had appeared together with Moses and Jesus. It records the disciples asking why the scribes taught that Elijah must come first. In that appearance Elijah represented those who will be alive and translated to heaven at Christ's second coming.
The surrounding account shows the disciples were slow to understand Jesus' words about His resurrection. The account is applied to show that those who have been with Christ on the mountain must go down to help people in need. The verse itself receives no further explanation beyond its setting.
The question belongs to the transfiguration account, raised after Elijah had appeared together with Moses and Jesus. It records the disciples asking why the scribes taught that Elijah must come first. In that appearance Elijah represented those who will be alive and translated to heaven at Christ's second coming.
The surrounding account shows the disciples were slow to understand Jesus' words about His resurrection. The account is applied to show that those who have been with Christ on the mountain must go down to help people in need. The verse itself receives no further explanation beyond its setting.