As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 11. Horses. Angels assumed these forms, (Grotius) or a cloud, resembling a fiery chariot and horses, was impelled by a strong wind, under their guidance. Tostat. Menochius. Salien, A.Calmet. 914.—As the name of Elias is very like Helios, “the sun,” some have supposed that hey have the same meaning: (Sedulius, pasc. 1.) but the Hebrew term signifies, “He is my God.” The pagans have taken occasion from this history to represent the sun drawn in a fiery chariot, by horses composed of the same element.
Animosos ignibus illis,
Quos in pectore habent, quos ore & naribus efflant. Metam. xii. Calmet.
—Heaven; (see verse 1.) where he lives free from all disturbance. Tirinus.—It is a constant, that he will come again before the last judgment; as his representative, John the Baptist, announced the first appearance of our Redeemer. Saint Gregory hom. 7. in Ev. Of this the Jews were convinced. S. Justin, dial. See Malac. 4:5.