In like manner = from the ground, up.
Pattern: Elijah, who was taken up alive in a whirlwind, yet returned as John the Baptist. Then Elijah appeared as Elijah [in the Transfiguration].
But nobody's expecting that.
“In like manner = from the ground, up.”
No. In like manner would mean in a miraculous way, in glory. It does not mean ONLY from the ground up. When He returns, “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:26
And, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31)
Elijah did not return as John the Baptist. God does not use reincarnation. Remember, even Jesus was said to be Elijah come back (and He wasn’t) in Matthew 16. John had a spirit and power like Elijah’s (Luke 1:17) but he was not Elijah. John and Elijah dressed alike (2 Kings 1:8; Mathew 3:4) and preached alike (1 Kings 17,18).
When Jesus said John was Elijah He meant it in type (typology) (see Matthew 11:11-14). This is shown by the fact that John himself said he was NOT Elijah (John 1:21).
One doesn't have to resort to Greek to figure out what this means. He left. He'll return. One doesn't return "from the ground up". That would be another "taking up/departing".
What is similar about his departing and return is the manner -- in clouds. Matthew 24 paints the clearest picture.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
We use scripture to explain scripture, not man's convoluted logic.