Luke 4:26

4:26 Yet ¹  Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. ² 

Luke 9:8

9:8 while others were saying that Elijah ³  had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had risen. ⁴ 

[4:26]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.

[4:26]  ² sn Zarephath in Sidon was Gentile territory (see 1 Kgs 17:9-24). Jesus’ point was that he would be forced to minister elsewhere, and the implication is that this ministry would ultimately extend (through the work of his followers) to those outside the nation.

[9:8]  ³ sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.

[9:8]  ⁴ sn The phrase had risen could be understood to mean “had been resurrected,” but this is only a possible option, not a necessary one, since the phrase could merely mean that a figure had appeared on the scene who mirrored an earlier historical figure. The three options of vv. 7-8 will be repeated in v. 19.