How do Christian denominations interpret scriptures where Jesus said John is Elijah as anything other than indicating reincarnation?

Question

Considering:

Matthew 11:13-15 (King James Version):

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 17:12-13:

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

The Question: How do Christian denominations interpret scriptures where Jesus said John is Elijah as anything other than indicating reincarnation?

Note this is not a question about whether the Bible teaches reincarnation, nor whether the Bible says reincarnation is true, it is asking for how these verses are interpreted as anything other than reincarnation. It's actually looking for the opposite of affirming reincarnation.

Note:

• Though in John 1 John the Baptist said he is not Elijah it is common, under theories of reincarnation, for someone to not know they are reincarnated.

• Though Elijah never died but was brought up to heaven, under theories of reincarnation a death is not required, only that a spirit once inhabiting a body inhabits another. Under some theories of reincarnation a spirit can inhabit multiple bodies simultaneously.

• The passage in the Bible that states "a man dies once and then face judgement" (Heb 9:27) is irrelevant to this question as those that use it to claim that the Bible teaches against reincarnation are misunderstanding what a man is and what reincarnation is. A man is a combination of a Spirit, a Mind and a Body. A man dies once, the spirit may then be joined to another mind and body (i.e. reincarnated). The second man is a different man who will also die once. Furthermore in answers to this question: In what ways do Christian denominations reconcile the discrepancy between Hebrews 9:27 and its Biblical counter-examples? Heb 9:27 may not be stating a hard and fast rule.

Answer 1

No, and here's why? "Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death"

Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same body in which He died. This is confirmed at John 2:19-21. "Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Vs20, The Jews therefore said, "It took forth-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" Vs21, But He was speaking of the temple of His body."

You also have more proof that it was the same body at John 20:27, "The He said to Thoman, "Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing."

How did Thomas react scm? John 20:28, "Thomas answered and said to Him literally, "The Lord of me and the God of me." Also at Hebrews 9:28, "so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many shall appear a second time for salvation/deliverance without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

This means that Jesus Christ came the first time and died for the sins of the world in order to bring man back to God by way of a personal relationship with Him. Jesus Christ is coming back a second time for His church in the same body He was crucified with and resurrected with. Also, notice verse 27 of Hebrews 9, "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this the judgment."

I know you mentioned this verse is "irrelevant" however, when combined with vs28 the definition of reincarnation is made void because the physical body of man is a transformation of the same bodies we had on earth just like Jesus Christ who is coming back in His same body. Please read Philippians 3:20-21.

Answer 2

No, Jesus never mentions reincarnation, nor is this word used in the bible. Any potential correlation between teachings/happenings in the bible that could be stretched to fit reincarnation is just that a stretch

As Jesus doesn't explicitly mention reincarnation you have to rely on what he does say and what the rest of the Bible teaches.

From this answer

...we live once, die once, then are resurrected either to Heaven or Hell. Although there is the idea of a life different from the one we are living now, this eternal existence is quite different from the idea of living life again in the same or similar earthly context that is 'reincarnation'

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

This answer points out the differences between the two ideas, and resurrection is what is taught in bible and by Jesus

Reincarnation involves living again, but having another life in a new body, as a new person/being.

Resurrection involves living again in your own body (or perhaps a glorified version of it), as yourself.

See also Isn't reincarnation affirmed by the Bible? or Is the biblical idea of being "born again" compatible with eastern religious ideas of reincarnation?