phets should rise again in order to
serve as precursors to the Messiah, is discovered in so striking a
form in the doctrine of the Parsees that we feel much inclined to
believe that it comes from that source.[6] However this may be, it
formed at the time of Jesus an integral portion of the Jewish theories
about the Messiah. It was admitted that the appearance of "two
faithful witnesses," clothed in garments of repentance, would be the
preamble of the great drama about to be unfolded, to the astonishment
of the universe.[7]

[Footnote 1: Malachi iii. and iv.; _Ecclesiasticus_ xlviii. 10. See
_ante_, Chap. VI.]

[Footnote 2: Matt. xi. 14, xvii. 10; Mark vi. 15, viii. 28, ix. 10,
and following; Luke ix. 8, 19.]

[Footnote 3: _Ecclesiasticus_ xliv. 16.]

[Footnote 4: Matt. xvi. 14.]

[Footnote 5: 2 _Macc._ v. 13, and following.]

[Footnote 6: Texts cited by Anquetil-Duperron, _Zend-Avesta_, i. 2d
part, p. 46, corrected by Spiegel, in the _Zeitschrift der deutschen
morgenlaendischen Gesellschaft_, i. 261, and following; extracts from
the _Jamasp-Nameh_, in the _Avesta_ of Spiegel, i., p. 34. None of the
Parsee texts, which truly imply the idea of resuscitated prophets and
of precursors, are ancient; but the ideas contained in them appear to
be much anterior to the time of the compilation itself.]

[Footnote 7: _Rev._ xi. 3, and following.]

It will be seen that, with these ideas, Jesus and his disciples could
not hesitate about the mission of John the Baptist. When the scribes
raised the objection that the Messiah could not have come because
Elias had not yet appeared,[1] they replied that Elias was come, that
John was Elias raised from the dead.[2] By his manner of life, by his
opposition to the established political authorities, John in fact
recalled that strange figure in the ancient history of Israel.[3]
Jesus was not silent on the merits and excellencies of his forerunner.
He said that none greater was born among the children of men. He
energetically blamed the Pharisees and the doctors for not having
accepted his baptism, and for not being converted at his voice.[4]

[Footnote 1: Mark ix. 10.]

[Footnote 2: Matt. xi. 14, xvii. 10-13; Mark vi. 15, ix. 10-12; Luke
ix. 8; John i. 21-25.]

[Footnote 3: Luke i. 17.]

[Footnote 4: Matt. xxi. 32; Luke vii. 29, 30.]

The disciples of Jesus were faithful to these principles of their
master. This respect for John continued during the whole of the first
Christia