Luke 9:8

while others were saying that Elijah ¹  had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had risen. ² 

Mt 17:10; Mr 6:15; Mr 8:28; Lu 9:19; Joh 1:21

¹ 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.

² 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.