905 The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: "the Righteous." They form a connected group round Jesus. Zakariya was the father of John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus (
3:37 -41); and Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elias: "this is Elias, which was to come" (Matt.
11:14 ); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt.
17:3). Elias is the same as Elijah (Cf.
37:123). (R).