Matthew 16:27-28 and the Transfiguration

Gary discusses a video from Christian apologist Frank Turek about Matthew 16:27-28 and Matthew 24.

In Matthew 16:27-28, Jesus says, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then recompense every man according to his doing. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Several comments are needed on this saying.

First, “seeing” the Son of Man coming does not refer to physical sight, but to perception.

Second, the second part of this prediction obviously does not refer to the Final Coming of Jesus at the end of history, for it is a near event: Some disciples will still be alive.

Third, some have said that the Transfiguration, which follows immediately, is what is in view (Matt. 17:1-8). But there is no time for anyone to die between Jesus’ prediction and the Transfiguration, which happened only six days later.

When we remember Ezekiel 8–11, we can understand what Jesus means here. Ezekiel was picked up by the Glory of God and taken to Jerusalem in a vision. There, with God’s holy angels, Ezekiel destroyed the city. Matthew 16:27 alludes back to that event. Jesus will come in His Father’s glory, with the angels, and will pass judgment on men. Since this judgment is but a foretaste of the Final Judgment at the end of history, we can certainly apply Jesus’ words to that great event also. But since Jesus goes right on to say that some of those hearing Him will live to see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom, we should limit the primary meaning of His prophecy to the time of that generation.

Matthew 23-25: A Literary, Historical, and Theological Commentary

Those who first read Matthew’s gospel only would have had as an interpretive reference what we describe as the Old Testament. They were living the history that Jesus said would take place before their generation passed away. They would have immediately noted the Old Testament parallels with the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 9:27), the judgment on Sodom and fleeing to the mountains to escape the coming conflagration (Matt. 24:16; Gen. 19:17), false prophets (Matt. 24:24; Jer. 14:14), signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Matt. 24:29; Isa. 3:10; 24:33; Ezek. 32:7; Amos 5:2; 8:9; etc.), the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30; Dan. 7:13), and so much more.

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Gary discusses a video from Christian apologist Frank Turek. In Matthew 16:27-28, Jesus says that “some who are standing here shall not taste death, until they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” Turek states that this is referring to the Transfiguration, but then he also steps over to similar language in Matthew 24.

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