And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had struck the waters, they parted to the one side and to the other: and Elisha went over.
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Bede
AD 735
The prophets proclaimed the mystery of the Lord’s ascension not only by their words but also by their actions. Both Enoch, the seventh [in the line of descent] from Adam, who was transported from the world, and Elijah, who was taken up into heaven, gave evidence that the Lord would ascend above all the heavens.…
Elijah presented an image of this festivity of the Lord by a miracle with richer significance. When the time in which he was to be taken away from the world was near, he came to the river Jordan with his disciple Elisha. With his rolled-up cloak he struck the waters, they were divided, and both of them crossed over on dry land. And he said to Elisha, “Ask what you want me to do before I am taken away from you,” and Elisha said, “I entreat you that your spirit may become double in me.” As they went on conversing together, behold, Elijah was suddenly snatched away, and, as the Scripture says, “He ascended as if into heaven.” By this action of his soaring aloft it is meant that [E...
Not divided. God thus prevented him from giving way to vanity, (Abulensis, q. 28.) or thinking that he could do any thing of himself. (Haydock)
Elias. Hebrew, "where is he? "(Calmet)
The original and Septuagint (Alexandrian and Vatican) do not specify that he struck the waters twice, or that they did not divide at first. (Haydock)
This is taken from other copies of the Septuagint. (Amama)
The exclamation contains a most fervent prayer. Hebrew, "he smote the waters, and said: Where is the Lord God of Elias? and when he had stricken the", which removes the idea of presumption, which (Haydock) some discover in the words of Eliseus. (Tirinus) (Sanctius)
Now. Hebrew aph hu. Septuagint aphpho, retaining the words which Theodotion renders "the hidden "god. (Haydock)
"Even he himself. "(Aquila) (Calmet)
When I stand so much in need of his assistance, (Menochius) having to perform his important functions, which cannot be done without his spirit, nor without the confirmation of miracles, ...
A burdened stomach drags down the heart toward vices and depresses the mind to keep it unable to experience heavenly piety. Scripture tells us, “The corruptible body is a load on the soul, and the earthly habitation presses down the mind that muses on many things.” Hence, the Lord said, too, “Take heed lest your hearts be overburdened with self-indulgence and drunkenness.” Therefore, the stomach should be relieved by the tempering influence of a fast, so that the mind can be unburdened and attend to higher things, rise to virtues and like a winged bird fly in its entirety to the very Author of piety. The case of Elijah proves this. Relieved of bodily weight by continuing that fast that the Lord arranged, he flew to heaven as victor over death. - "Sermon 2"
