Q: In Matthew 16:28, Jesus says, Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. But everyone who was there at the time has died, and Jesus has not returned. Therefore, isnt this clearly a false prophecy?
A: No; Matthew has magnified the sentiment of Jesus statement in Mark 9:1 ~ Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power. Luke 9:27 is similar: I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.
Marks presentation is closer to verbatim than Matthews, I think; Matthew has used this statement as a starting-point by which to enlarge on (Marks account of) the Transfiguration and present it as a sort of preview of the coming of the Son of Man in His kingdom; the heavenly glory that is revealed in the Transfiguration = the glory of Gods heavenly kingdom. Matthews comparison works out this way (comparing the type in Matthews account of the Transfiguration to the antitype at the Second Coming):
Jesus brightness (17:2): revelation of Jesus heavenly glory.
Moses and Elijah (17:3): the testimony is given from the books (Law & Prophets) by which individuals deeds are to be judged.
Voice from the cloud (17:5): The Father affirms Christs authority to sit on the judgment-throne.
Disciples fall down (17:6): a reference to dead Christians.
Jesus comes and touches them (17:7): the dead Christians are raised to life.
The disciples open their eyes and see only Jesus (17:8): The intervention of Christ renders the saved souls judicially innocent against the charges of the Law, and thus Jesus remains to welcome His people.
With these details in place, Matthew turns the Transfiguration into a fulfillment of 16:28; the Transfiguration is presented as a diorama, so to speak, of the coming of the Son of Man in His kingdom. (This implies that Matthew, writing the Gospel of Matthew c. A.D. 70, was *not* encouraging his readers to expect an any-second-now return of Christ, at least, not in this passage; Matthews treatment of this statement and his application of it to the Transfiguration indicates that Matthew thought that the Transfiguration had revealed enough of the kingdom of heaven to Peter, James, and John to serve as a fulfillment of the statement in 16:28.)
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: No; Matthew has magnified the sentiment of Jesus statement in Mark 9:1 ~ Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power. Luke 9:27 is similar: I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.
Marks presentation is closer to verbatim than Matthews, I think; Matthew has used this statement as a starting-point by which to enlarge on (Marks account of) the Transfiguration and present it as a sort of preview of the coming of the Son of Man in His kingdom; the heavenly glory that is revealed in the Transfiguration = the glory of Gods heavenly kingdom. Matthews comparison works out this way (comparing the type in Matthews account of the Transfiguration to the antitype at the Second Coming):
Jesus brightness (17:2): revelation of Jesus heavenly glory.
Moses and Elijah (17:3): the testimony is given from the books (Law & Prophets) by which individuals deeds are to be judged.
Voice from the cloud (17:5): The Father affirms Christs authority to sit on the judgment-throne.
Disciples fall down (17:6): a reference to dead Christians.
Jesus comes and touches them (17:7): the dead Christians are raised to life.
The disciples open their eyes and see only Jesus (17:8): The intervention of Christ renders the saved souls judicially innocent against the charges of the Law, and thus Jesus remains to welcome His people.
With these details in place, Matthew turns the Transfiguration into a fulfillment of 16:28; the Transfiguration is presented as a diorama, so to speak, of the coming of the Son of Man in His kingdom. (This implies that Matthew, writing the Gospel of Matthew c. A.D. 70, was *not* encouraging his readers to expect an any-second-now return of Christ, at least, not in this passage; Matthews treatment of this statement and his application of it to the Transfiguration indicates that Matthew thought that the Transfiguration had revealed enough of the kingdom of heaven to Peter, James, and John to serve as a fulfillment of the statement in 16:28.)
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
