1. Matthieu 16:28 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

What did Jesus mean when he said that some of the disciples will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom?

Matthieu 16:28 (NEG79)

28 Je vous le dis en vérité, quelques-uns de ceux qui sont ici ne mourront point, qu'ils n'aient vu le Fils de l'homme venir dans son règne.

En bref

Three views of what Jesus meant when he said that some of the disciples will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom:

  1. There are three main views of Matthew 16:28:

    a. Jesus meant Jerusalem’s destruction (AD 70): judgment and punishment of the Jewish people.

    b. Jesus meant his resurrection on the third day and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

    c. Jesus meant the glorification on the mountain that would occur six days later (Matthew 17:1–13).

    (C) is unlikely, for the phrase some will not taste death implies that many will have died. How could this mean something about to occur within six days? As well, the kingdom (Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27) is not the same as Jesus himself. Both a and b give an indirect but correct explanation of Jesus’ statement—indirect, because Matthew 16:27 shows that Jesus here spoke of his second coming in glory. Yet we can only truly see this saying’s meaning in light of Matthew 22:1–14, Matthew 23:38–39, and Matthew 24:3–14, and in fully accepting the principle of Matthew 24:36. Since the Jews rejected their Messiah, the promise of the coming of the kingdom was for them, for a time, changed into judgment (abandonment by God and destruction of the city; see Matthew 23:37–39), and the kingdom partially breaks through on earth through Jesus’ resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit. Note how Jesus stresses that the act of coming will be seen. Matthew 26:64 may make us think of the parousia (final coming), but this is not so, for the coming that is spoken of here is the coming of the royal power of the kingdom, which comes gradually (Matthew 13:33; Luke 19:11). This kingdom drew near in the first coming of Christ, and then continued advancing, so it makes sense to think of the revealing of Christ’s power in the world after the resurrection and after Pentecost. Some apostles (though not all: see Acts 12:1) saw much of that, but the age still moves toward the kingdom with which Jesus returns: the parousia. Let us also remember that this revealing of power is spiritual in nature, as John 18:36 teaches.

  2. Jesus adds the following promise to his words: Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Following Matthew 16:27, the statement here must refer to Christ’s return for judgment with his second coming: the Parousia. Then the Son of Man will come in his kingdom: in all his royal dignity and majesty, surrounded by his angels and the radiance of God’s glory. Some will not taste death until that moment. They will bear the cross and die for Jesus’ sake, yet they will no longer taste death, for through dying they will find life. Just as Jesus entered life through suffering and death, so they will follow the path of Christian suffering and death and then enter into the life of Christ, finally beholding him when he appears in glory upon the earth. Matthew 16:28’s promise is intentionally open: Some standing here will not taste death ... The statement implies Jesus’ certainty of the perseverance of some of his disciples, and he urges all to be part of that number, to seek to share in this promise. Whoever wants to live must take up his cross and follow Jesus. In doing so, he joins a group whose existence is certain, but whose exact number is unknown and still open.

  3. Some will see Christ’s return in glory in visions and inspired revelation, as we see in 2 Peter 3:1–18 and the book of Revelation (and possibly in 1 Thessalonians 4:1–18, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17, although Paul was not specifically standing here when Jesus said this).

Interpretation 1:
Broadly speaking, there are three main interpretations of Matthew 16:28, where Jesus says to his disciples that some of them will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom:

a. Jesus was speaking here of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, when the Jewish people experienced judgment and punishment.
b. Jesus was referring to his resurrection on the third day and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
c. Jesus was speaking of the glorification on the mountain that would take place six days later (Matthew 17:1–13).1

The last interpretation, c, is unlikely, for the phrase some will not taste death implies that many will indeed have died. But would Jesus say this to describe something about to happen within six days? Furthermore, the kingdom of God (Mark 9:1;Luke 9:27) is not identical with Jesus himself.
By contrast, both a and b, in our opinion, provide an indirect but correct explanation of Jesus’ statement. It is indirect, because in light of Matthew 16:27 it is clear that Jesus here spoke of his second coming in glory, yet we can only truly understand the meaning of this saying in light of Matthew 22:1–14, Matthew 23:38–39, and Matthew 24:3–14, and when we fully accept the principle of Matthew 24:36. Because the Jews rejected their Messiah, the promise of the coming of the kingdom of God for them was (temporarily) changed into judgment (abandonment by God and destruction of the city; see Matthew 23:37–39), and the kingdom partially breaks through on earth through the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.2
It is important to note that Jesus highlights that the act of coming will be seen. In Matthew 26:64, we may think initially be tempted to think here of the parousia (final coming), but this is not the case—for the coming that is spoken of here is the coming of the royal power of the kingdom—a kingdom comes gradually (Matthew 13:33; Luke 19:11). This kingdom first drew near with the coming of Christ, and thereafter gradually continues advancing. Therefore, it is natural to think of the manifestation of Christ’s power in the world after the resurrection and after Pentecost. Some apostles (though not all, see Acts 12:1) witnessed much of that. Yet the kingdom with which Jesus returns also moves toward the end and is the prelude to it. In that sense, the parousia is still in view here. Moreover, it must always be kept in mind that these manifestations of power are spiritual in nature, as John 18:36 teaches.3

Interpretation 2:
Jesus attaches a solemn promise to his words when he states the following in Matthew 16:28: Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Following Matthew 16:27, the statement here has to be understood as referring to Christ’s return for judgment with his second coming—the Parousia. Then the Son of Man will be seen coming in his kingdom, that is, in all his royal dignity. He will appear in accordance with his true majesty, surrounded by the royal retinue of angels and the heavenly radiance of God’s glory. Some will not taste death until that moment. They will bear the cross and die for Jesus’ sake, yet they will no longer taste death, for through dying they will find life. Just as Jesus entered life through suffering and death, so they will follow the path of Christian suffering and death and then enter into the life of Christ, finally beholding him when he appears in glory upon the earth.
Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:28 is intentionally open: Some standing here will not taste death ... The statement clearly implies that Jesus is certain of the perseverance of a number of his disciples, and he urges all to be part of that number, to ensure that they share in this promise. Whoever desires to live must take up his cross and follow Jesus. In doing so, he adds himself to a group whose existence is certain, but whose exact number is unknown and still open at the moment.4

Interpretation 3:
Some will see Christ’s return in glory in visions and inspired revelation, as we see in 2 Peter 3:1–18 and the book of Revelation (and possibly in 1 Thessalonians 4:1–18, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17, although Paul was not specifically standing here when Jesus said this).