Matthew 16:27-28

The ones who were standing there and who did not die before they saw Jesus coming in his Kingdom were Peter, James, and John. In chapter 17 they went to the mount of transfiguration and saw Jesus in his glory.

 

swaimj

If the John here is the same John that wrote the book Revelations, could Christ have been referring to that.PEACE


" THE LORD COMETH "

 

In a sense he could be, but the transfiguration story follows immediately after. In it, the three saw Jesus' glory and fell on their faces. With the answer so close in the context I feel no need to look for the answer in the book of Revelation.

 

Bro. "JBotwinick," in answer to your question, to Matthew 16:27-28, the following is a Simplified Version:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> To whom is Jesus talking in these verses? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

To the disciples (see verse 21).

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> About what is he talking? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

About His second coming (as in Daniel 7:13-14).

 

bjh, it is not possible that Jesus was speaking of the disciples as an entire group. He said that some in the crowd would not taste death before they saw Him coming in His glory. ALL of the disciples tasted death before Jesus came in His glory in the sense of which Daniel speaks except for John who had a vision similar to Daniel's which he recorded in Revelation. But if Jesus were referring to John's vision, he would have said, "There is ONE of you who will not taste death...." Instead he says "some of you" indicating more than one. This leaves one possible meaning for Jesus' words. Three of them saw a preview of Jesus' kingdom glory on the mount of transfiguration six days later. When interpreting the scripture, look for the simple and obvious answer. Often it is nearby. When it is, it is not necessary to go to other passages in the scripture to find it.

 

Due to the statement of the Lord "there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom", it is very unlikely He would say that some would not die in the next 6 days (when the Transfiguration occurred). Some time span is required. The Geneva Study Notes say this:

By his kingdom is understood the glory of his ascension, and what follows after that, #Eph 4:10, or the preaching of the gospel, #Mr 9:1.

And John Gill this:

till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom; which is not to be understood of his personal coming in his kingdom in the last day, when he will judge quick and dead; for it cannot be thought, that any then present should live to that time, but all tasted of death long before, as they have done; for the story of John’s being alive, and to live till then, is fabulous, and grounded on a mistake which John himself has rectified at the close of his Gospel: nor of the glorious transfiguration of Christ, the account of which immediately follows; when he was seen by Peter, James, and John, persons now present; for that, at most, was but an emblem and a pledge of his future glory: rather, of the appearance of his kingdom, in greater glory and power, upon his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension to heaven; when the Spirit was poured down in an extraordinary manner, and the Gospel was preached all over the world; was confirmed by signs and wonders, and made effectual to the conversion and salvation of many souls; which many then present lived to see, and were concerned in: though it seems chiefly to have regard to his coming, to show his regal power and authority in the destruction of the Jews; when those his enemies that would not he should reign over them, were ordered to be brought and slain before him; and this the Apostle John, for one, lived to be a witness of.

And the J-F-B commentary:

which shall not taste of death, fill they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom—or, as in Mark (#Mr 9:1), "till they see the kingdom of God come with power"; or, as in Luke (#Lu 9:27), more simply still, "till they see the kingdom of God." The reference, beyond doubt, is to the firm establishment and victorious progress, in the lifetime of some then present, of that new kingdom of Christ, which was destined to work the greatest of all changes on this earth, and be the grand pledge of His final coming in glory.

It most likely refers to the totality of the crucufixion, ressurection, ascencion and the spreading of the gospel after Pentecost and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D.

The verse refers to the ongoing redemptive-historical progress of the gospel.

[ May 07, 2001: Message edited by: Chris Temple ]

 

Two points in reply:
1. The Spirit being poured out in Acts as Gill mentions is not the same as "the Son of Man coming in His kingdom". Surely there is a distinction between the coming of the Spirit and the coming of Christ just as there is a distinction between the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Literal interpretation really helps us make these proper distinctions. So the point of the six days is not that someone would die within six days, but that within six days, "some" saw what Jesus said they would.

2. How does Peter himself view the transfiguration? In I Peter 1:16-18, Peter says he revealed to the saints the "power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and were eyewitnesses of His majesty." And just where did Peter witness the majesty of Jesus like that of his coming? Vs 18, "when we were with Him on the holy mountain" where they heard the voice of God say "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." So he connects the scene on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus' appearance at His coming.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris Temple:
Due to the statement of the Lord "there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom", it is very unlikely He would say that some would not die in the next 6 days (when the Transfiguration occurred). Some time span is required. The Geneva Study Notes say this:

By his kingdom is understood the glory of his ascension, and what follows after that, #Eph 4:10, or the preaching of the gospel, #Mr 9:1. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>See Matthew 12:28 for the Holy Spirit inspired explanation of this phrase.