Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 9:27
But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
27 . which shall not taste of death ] In the Arabian poem, Antar, Death is represented as slaying men by handing them a cup of poison. This was a common Eastern metaphor.
till they see the kingdom of God ] St Mark (Mar 9:1) adds “coming in power.” St Matthew (Mat 16:28) says “till they see the Son of man coming
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
27. not taste of death fill they seethe kingdom of God“see it come with power” (Mr9:1); or see “the Son of man coming in His kingdom” (Mt16:28). The reference, beyond doubt, is to the firm establishmentand victorious progress, in the lifetime of some then present, ofthat new Kingdom of Christ, which was destined to work the greatestof all changes on this earth, and be the grand pledge of His finalcoming in glory.
Lu9:28-36. JESUSTRANSFIGURED.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But I tell you of a truth,…. And let it be received as such; you may assure yourselves of it, that not only at the last day, the son of man will come in this glorious manner, and show his resentment to all such as have been ashamed of him; but, also
there be some standing here, which shall not, taste of death till they see the kingdom of God; the Gospel dispensation visibly taking place, both among Jews and Gentiles, upon the resurrection of Christ, and the pouring fourth of his Spirit; and when it should come in power both in the conversion of God’s elect in great numbers, and in the destruction of the Jewish nation, for their rejection, of the Messiah:
[See comments on Mt 16:28]
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Till they see ( ). Second aorist active subjunctive with and referring to the future, an idiomatic construction. So in Mark 9:1; Matt 16:28. In all three passages “shall not taste of death” ( , double negative with aorist middle subjunctive) occurs also. Rabbinical writings use this figure. Like a physician Christ tasted death that we may see how to die. Jesus referred to the cross as “this cup” (Mark 14:36; Matt 26:39; Luke 22:42). Mark speaks of the kingdom of God as “come” (, second perfect active participle). Matthew as “coming” () referring to the Son of man, while Luke has neither form. See Matthew and Mark for discussion of the theories of interpretation of this difficult passage. The Transfiguration follows in a week and may be the first fulfilment in the mind of Jesus. It may also symbolically point to the second coming.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Taste of death. The word taste, in the sense of experience, is often used in classical Greek; as, to taste of toils, of sorrow, of freedom, but never of death. The phrase, taste of death, is common in Rabbinical writings. In the New Testament only here and Heb 2:9, used of Christ. Chrysostom (cited by Alford) compares Christ to a physician who first tastes his medicines to encourage the sick to take them.
The kingdom of God. See on ch. Luk 6:20.
28 – 36. Compare Mt 17:1 – 13; Mr 9:2 – 13.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
THE TRANSFIGURATION V. 27-36
1) “But I tell you of a truth,” (lego de humin alethos) “Yet I tell you all truly,” of a certainty, truthfully, because He was (existed as) The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Joh 14:6.
2) “There be some standing here,” (eisin tines ton auton hestekoton) “There are some standing here,” Mat 16:28, at this moment, looking on, listening, observing, now living, as later witnessed by Peter, so explicitly, 2Pe 1:16-18.
3) “Which shall not taste of death,” (hoi ou me geusontai thanatou) “Who may by no means taste of death,” Mar 9:1-8, or who will not experience death, physical death, or who will not die; among those specifically were the three inner-circle disciples and apostles, Peter, James, and John, Mat 17:1-6.
4) “Till they see the kingdom of God.” (heos an idosin ten basileian tou theou) “Until they perceive the kingdom of God,” in its manifest glory, or a fore-glimpse of what it shall be like, as also recounted Mat 16:28. This alluded evidently to the resurrection glory that and is to revolve around the glorified, resurrected, ascended, and coming of Jesus Christ for the restitution of all things to the Father. In Jesus’ transfiguration, and later resurrection, our Lord’s church disciples, and they only, saw Him as He shall be, and as we of His church shall be, in His Golden Millennial era, yet to be, 1Jn 3:1-3; Rom 8:17-23; Act 3:21; 1Co 15:24-28.
Some in error of judgment interpret this to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Mosaic Law rule.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
“But I tell you of a truth, There are some of them who stand here, who will in no wise taste of death, till they see the Kingly Rule of God.”
But He wants to nerve them for what lies ahead, and so He assures them that in spite of the necessary warning final victory is certain. Whatever the future may hold they have His guarantee that some of those present will be alive to see the triumph of the Kingly Rule of God. Some will certainly survive.
We must recognise in this that He is aware that He is speaking to many who will be bewildered at what He has been saying. They are finding it difficult to understand. The beautiful parables have been replaced by the harshest of demands. So He is assuring them that while death might lie ahead for some who proclaim His words, and hardship for all, they can be certain that the Kingly Rule of God will come before all have experienced death. This guarantee of triumph gives therefore the assurance of success, and guarantees that all who believe in Him, both living and dead, are sure of entering His eternal Kingly Rule because of its certainty of success (compare here Luk 23:42-43 where it is also true for the dying thief).
This very promise is a further indication that ‘the last days’ are here. They must therefore learn to live in the light of these last days. It is not intended to be a discussion of end time theology, it is in order to nerve them for the future and to bring home the importance of bravely proclaiming His word until His Kingly Rule is established. The last days still continue and we too are called to a similar dedication.
His words are, however, ambiguous. On the one hand they can suggest, as we have seen above, that there will be those who survive to observe the coming of the Kingly Rule of God on earth, and that therefore the enemies of Christ will not prevail. Luke appears to emphasise this side of it by making it the last in a series of verses about facing the threat of death and judgment. On the other they can be seen as simply an indication that the Kingly Rule of God will come on earth within the lifetime of many of those present, the latter being a time marker, and this would seem to be mainly Mark’s emphasis when he divides it off from the preceding verses, and attaches it to the following ones. Mark also appears to emphasise its close connection with the Transfiguration. Both angles are in fact true. Persecution would not wipe out the followers of Jesus, and many did survive until the visible coming in power of the Kingly Rule of God at Pentecost and beyond.
‘Some who stand here.’ There may be a pointed suggestion here that not all who are listening will see the coming of His Kingly Rule, not necessarily because they have died but because they have turned back and no longer walk with Him. They have faced up to His offered choice and have gone sorrowfully away. They will miss seeing His Kingly Rule come with power.
Or it may simply be an indication that while inevitably some will die naturally others will be alive. Whichever way we take it we must not try to analyse the ‘some’, it could be few or many. Jesus in His manhood knew that He did not have full knowledge of all that lay ahead. But what He did know was that among those who were now with Him were the ones through whom the word was to spread throughout the world establishing the Kingly Rule of God.
There are in fact other interpretations of the verse which we will now list along with the above:
1). That Jesus is saying that in spite of the persecution that is coming, they can be sure that some will survive through to their seeing the establishment of the Kingly Rule of God on earth, and that thus His purpose will not fail. This is therefore warning of rough times ahead but is a guarantee of the success of what He has come to do, and provides the assurance that both living and dead believers will have their part in it, some on earth, and in the end all by resurrection.
2). That Jesus is saying that the Kingly Rule of God will be seen being powerfully established on earth before all present have died, something which was fulfilled at Pentecost and after (Act 1:3; Act 2:1-4 fulfilling Luk 24:49; Luk 8:12; Luk 14:22; Luk 19:8) and then specifically by Paul’s presence in Rome (Act 28:31).
3). That Jesus is saying that before all have died they will see God’s Kingly Rule revealed by His Judgment on His enemies, as a result of the Son of Man coming in kingly power, and that this was fulfilled by the destruction of Jerusalem (some even make the son of man Titus, arguing that the phrase simply means ‘man’). This would tie in with the continual warnings of the fate of JerusalemLuk 13:35; Luk 19:41-44; Luk 21:6, but suffers from making into a negative what would appear to be a gloriously positive statement.
4). That Jesus is saying that the Parousia will occur before all have died, and that He was therefore mistaken. But as this does not tie in with His affirmation that He did not know the time of His Parousia (Mar 13:32) it is unlikely. He could not say both).
5). That Jesus is saying that some among them, but not all, will not die without first seeing the Kingly Rule of God established in power in their hearts by being born of the Spirit (Joh 3:2), resulting in their willingness to follow Him in spite of all, and seeing Him as ‘coming in His kingly power’ into their hearts. (This stresses ‘They will not die until –’). Others who were present would die still in their sins.
6). That the verse is to be seen as contrasting with Luk 9:26 which speaks of those who will be ashamed of Him. Some will be ashamed of Him, but others will see the Kingly Rule of God and respond to it from their hearts as in 5).
7). That it was fulfilled in the Transfiguration in which Jesus was seen to manifest Himself as coming in His Kingly Rule to ‘some’, that is to the three and to Moses and Elijah.
Perhaps then we should analyse the words more closely seeing them from the point of view of our wider background. What then have they to say to us?
Here firstly we must recognise that He here wants us to see that He is not just referring to some vague, far off promises. What He is promising is something that will come within the lifetime of some present. That there were in fact some standing there who would not taste of death until they ‘saw the Kingly Rule of God’ (in Mark is added ‘coming with power’).
What then does it mean to ‘see the Kingly Rule of God’ or to ‘see the Kingly Rule of God coming with power’?
In neither case is there a suggestion of a glorious appearing. The thought is rather of His presence and power. What He wants to assure them of is the fact that though He must die and rise again before it occurs, that will not affect the fact that the Kingly Rule of God will come with power within their lifetime’s experience. Acts will in fact be the proof that this was so. For there the Kingly Rule of God comes with power, beginning at Jerusalem and finally being established in Rome. As Jesus says in Luk 24:49, they are to ‘stay in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high’, the Kingly Rule of God will be manifested in power.
In considering the interpretation we must bear in mind that there are a number of differing aspects revealed concerning the coming of the Kingly Rule of God. These include:
1). Its presence among them even at that time. The Kingly Rule of God is in or among them (Luk 17:21). It can come to each one as he responds to Christ.
2). Its establishment by the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, resulting in His enthronement on God’s throne, as described in Dan 7:13-14, and as declared as having happened in Mat 28:19 and Act 2:36. This would then be revealed on earth, and ‘seen’ by His sending of the Holy Spirit in power.
3) Its revelation in glory and judgment when that enthronement will be brought home to those on earth who have rejected it by His glorious appearing.
It is the second of these that is in mind here.
Further Note on Luk 9:27 (for those who wish to go into more detail).
These words in Luk 9:27 have caused a great deal of discussion, especially in view of the parallel verses in Mat 16:28 and Mar 9:1. The basic question is, what did Jesus mean when He spoke of seeing ‘the Kingly Rule of God’ here in Luke, which must be paralleled with seeing ‘the Kingly Rule of God coming in power’ in Mar 9:1, and seeing ‘the Son of Man coming in His Kingly Rule’ in Mat 16:28. Note especially that the emphasis is on His ‘coming in His Kingly Rule’ and on that Kingly Rule ‘coming in power’. It is not on His ‘coming in glory’. The thief on the cross would also say, ‘Remember me when you come in your Kingly Rule’ (Luk 23:42), only to be informed that he would be with Him that day in Paradise (the abode of the godly dead), the inference being that he would shortly experience His Kingly Rule.
We can gain further understanding into the meaning of these words in Mat 16:28 by comparing them with Jesus’ words at His trial. There in Mat 26:64 He said to Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders who were present at His trial, (in reply to the question as to whether He was the Messiah, the Son of God), ‘ From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power (i.e. God) and coming on the clouds of Heaven’ (compareMar 14:62). In other words a crisis point has now been reached when all will change. They may stand to try Him this day but ‘from now on’ they will see that He is the Messiah, for He will manifest Himself in the way described. This was clearly intended to have present significance for His hearers, and as something that would be made apparent almost immediately, for it was stated as being ‘from now on’. And it would be understood by them in the light of their question which was whether He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Thus He was saying that ‘from now on’ His Messiahship would be manifested (this explains their jeers at the cross because they thought that they had made a fool of Him and His promises – Mar 15:32; Mat 27:42-43).
But how would it be manifested? The mention of ‘sitting on the right hand of power’ would immediately turn their thoughts to Psa 110:1, ‘You sit at my right hand’ (quoted in Mat 22:44). ‘The right hand of power’ is a synonym for ‘the right hand of God’, ‘power’ being used, as was customary with the Jews, to avoid the use of the word ‘God’, which they sought to avoid. Thus it was referring to the establishment of His kingship.
The words ‘coming on the clouds of Heaven’ would remind them of Dan 7:12-13 ‘there came with the clouds of heaven (to the throne of God) one like a son of man’ . Here then Jesus speaks of His receiving Kingly Rule at the throne of God as something shortly to happen (‘from now on, from the present time’), and their ‘seeing’ it in the working out of its effects.
Neither of these references would suggest to his listeners a coming to earth in glory (they were not present when that was spoken of). They would see it as something taking place in Heaven as described in Daniel 7. Both would therefore be seen by them as signifying that His claim was that He would be crowned as God’s chosen king in Heaven at ‘God’s right hand’, and in the latter case after coming to the throne of God on the clouds of heaven. The ‘sitting at the right hand of God’ indicates His coronation and the ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’ is, according to Dan 7:13, His coming to the throne of God as a divine figure in order to receive everlasting dominion.
Furthermore we note again that it is something that Jesus told them they would see, not at some time in the future, but ‘from now on, or from the present time’. This might permit a short delay, but not one of any length of time. Their ‘seeing it’ does not necessarily mean that they will actually visibly observe the enthronement, but that they will observe its effects and be faced with the fact that it has happened, by seeing it in some way manifested on earth. In other words His enthronement as king would be made apparent to them in what would shortly follow. Clearly then there He spoke of His enthronement and its after effects as an event about to happen and to be evidenced on earth. We must therefore see Mat 16:28 in that light as well.
That being so ‘see the Son of Man coming in His Kingly Rule’ signifies His enthronement at the right hand of God as He came before Him ‘in the clouds of heaven’ (signifying a heavenly connection) and we should note that in Matthew it is specifically stated by Jesus as having occurred at His resurrection, for He says there ‘all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth’. He had come to His Father and had received kingly rule. This would result in the going out of the disciples to ‘disciple all nations’ (Mat 28:18-19), something certainly ‘seen’ by the leading Jewish authorities (Mat 26:64) and also by the disciples (Mat 16:28), apart of course from Judas.
Furthermore in Act 2:34-36 Peter used Psa 110:1 ‘sit on My right hand’ to indicate the enthronement of Jesus as ‘both Lord and Messiah’ at that time and directly connects it with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Act 2:33). As far as he is concerned he ‘saw’ the Son of Man coming in His Kingly Power as a result of His enthronement at God’s right hand at Pentecost.
What then are we to make of Luk 9:27; Mar 9:1; Mat 16:28 seen together?
Firstly we should note that the emphasis is on the coming of ‘the Kingly Rule of God’ in ‘power’ (dunamis) (or in Matthew ‘His Kingly Rule’). There is no thought of the ‘glory’ which is elsewhere always emphasised when His final coming is baldly stated (Mat 16:27; Mat 19:28; Mat 24:27; Mat 24:30; Mar 8:38; Mar 10:37; Mar 13:26; Luk 21:27).
Secondly we should remember that Jesus speaks of the Kingly Rule of God as ‘drawing near’ and as something available to His hearers. In response to the question as to when the Kingly Rule of God will come, He said it was ‘among or within them’ (Luk 17:21). From the time of John the Baptiser ‘the Good News of the Kingly Rule of God is preached and every man presses (enters violently) into it’ (Luk 16:16; Mat 11:12). Men were even then being made ‘disciples to the Kingly Rule of heaven’ (Mat 13:52). They must receive the Kingly Rule of God like a little child if they were to enter (Mar 10:15). The good seed in the parable were the ‘sons of the Kingly Rule’ (Mat 13:38). As Jesus said, ‘if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the Kingly Rule of God come upon you” (Mat 12:27). Thus it was present at that time as well as something to be experienced in the future at the end time. To Jesus therefore the Kingly Rule of God was, as a result of His coming, an ever present reality, both in the present and in the future. Its revelation in power is not therefore necessarily the same thing as its revelation in glory. Its revelation in power took place when Jesus was raised and enthroned, and sent His Holy Spirit to make it effective on earth. Its revelation in glory will take place some time in the future.
Thirdly we should note that this word of Jesus is placed before the Transfiguration scene in each Gospel and connected with it specifically by a time reference e.g. ‘about eight days after’ or ‘after six days’. Thus it was clearly seen as having some connection with the Transfiguration.
In the light of what we have seen earlier it is probable therefore that we are to see it as fulfilled in three ways, each interconnected.
1). It found its first partial fulfilment in the Transfiguration. There the majesty and glory of the King, hidden from the world, was revealed to His own, supported by those two pillars of God, who represented the Law and the Prophets, Moses and Elijah, who had proclaimed His word and whose ministry and word He was to bring to fulfilment. The Kingly Rule of God was seen on the mountain in embryo with its manifested power and glory, for the Transfiguration foreshadowed both the resurrection and exaltation of Christ to God’s right hand brought about with power (Rom 1:4; Php 3:10) and His second coming in glory. Some see in this a sufficient fulfilment, for it was a unique and incredible experience for those who witnessed it, and indeed for us all. It included ‘some standing here’.
2). It found further fulfilment when Jesus, having been raised to God’s right hand, appeared to His disciples to inform them that He had received from God ‘all authority — in heaven and earth’ (Mat 28:18) and would send them out to ‘make disciples’ of the nations, with ‘signs’ (of power) following (Mar 16:15-18). Indeed He promised them that shortly they would receive ‘power (dunamis) from on High’ (Luk 24:49 compare Act 1:8). The Kingly Rule of God would have come with power. This too was experienced by ‘some standing here’.
3). It found its complete fulfilment when the King, having risen, sat down at God’s right hand (Act 2:34-35) and received and poured out the Holy Spirit on God’s people at Pentecost (Act 2:33), empowering them to go out throughout the known world with ‘power’ (dunamis) (Act 1:7-8; Act 3:12; Act 4:7; Act 4:33; Act 6:8) preaching the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God where He was proclaimed both Lord and Messiah (Act 2:36), and performing ‘miracles’ (signs) before the people (Act 4:16; Act 4:22; Act 6:8; Act 8:6). Then indeed all saw the Kingly Rule of God ‘coming in power’ (see 1Co 4:19-20), they saw the Son of Man, having received His dominion, coming in His Kingly Rule (Act 7:56). For within forty years there appeared to be Christians everywhere. (And the chief priests and scribes saw it as well).
To the objection made by a few that the verse says only that ‘ some standing here’ would see it we would suggest that if the words were spoken to a crowd of any size it was always likely that some would die before the event, as Judas certainly did before 2) and 3). If it is referred to the Transfiguration only ‘some’ did see it (the three). For what Jesus was simply trying to say was that it would not be long delayed. It would be in the lifetime of some, but not necessarily all.
End of note.
Jesus Is Transfigured Before The Three In The Mountain (Luk 9:28-36).
The Apostles having now recognised that Jesus is the Messiah, He determines to reveal to the three chosen by Him from among them something more of what that means. He wants them to recognise that He is not just a scion of the house of David, but One Who shares the splendour and glory of God (Joh 17:5), One Who is greater than Moses and Elijah and all the prophets (compare Luk 20:10-12), to whom both Moses and Elijah , the representatives of the Law and the Prophets, bear witness. He is truly God’s Son, God’s Chosen One.
The consequence is that while they are in the mountain the fullness of His glory shines from His mortal body, and they behold His glory (Joh 1:14), and as a cloud covers them, God again testifies to Him as He had done at His baptism, that He is His Son, His chosen One.
It should be noted that this is the high point of the revelation of Him as Messiah, in total contrast to His family’s view of Him. Since that false view we have seen His power over wind and waves, His power over a legion of evil spirits, His power over uncleanness and death, His power to feed the covenant community with bread from Heaven. Now we have the final revelation of His glory.
The passage can be analysed as follows:
a About eight days after these sayings, He took with Him Peter and John and James, and went up into the mountain to pray.
b And as He was praying, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment became white and dazzling.
c And behold, there talked with Him two men, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory, and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
d Now Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory, and the two men who stood with him.
c As they were parting from him, Peter said to “Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tents, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”, not knowing what he said.
b And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my chosen, hear you him.”
a And when the voice came, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen.
Note that in ‘a’ He takes them up into the mountain to pray, and in the parallel He is left alone with them, and when they had descended they told no one of what had happened. In ‘b He was transfigured before them, being revealed in glorious light, and in the parallel He is revealed as God’s Son, His chosen. In ‘c’ Moses and Elijah appear in glory and discuss His coming death and in the parallel Peter wants to build tents for each of them. In ‘d’ and centrally the three behold His glory.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
Ver. 27. See Mat 16:28 ; Mar 9:1 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27. ] See note on Mat 16:28 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 9:27 . = in parallels. , here = in parallels. . . ., the Kingdom of God, a simplified expression compared with those in Mt. and Mk., perhaps due to the late period at which Lk. wrote, probably understood by him as referring to the origination of the church at Pentecost.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
of a truth. Thus emphasizing the coming statement. some = some of those.
not = in no wise, or by no means. Greek. ou me (App-105).
taste of = experience [the approach of].
they see = they may possibly (Greek. an) have seen.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
27.] See note on Mat 16:28.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 9:27. ) This Genitive may seem to have arisen from parallelism.[79] For the Vulg. has hic stantes.[80]
[79] To stand parallel to the Genitives at the close of Luk 9:26.-ED. and TRANSL.
[80] So also ab. But hic stantium in c; d has qui hic stant.-ED. and TRANSL.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
The Kingdom In Embryo — Luk 9:27-36
But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory and the two men that stood with Him. And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen- Luk 9:27-36.
Jesus is speaking here. He has been putting before the disciples the cost of following Him. He made it clear that to be His follower often costs a great deal. Then to encourage their hearts, He said, But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. By the term the kingdom of God we are to understand the authority of God as established over this earth, and necessarily, therefore, in the hearts of men and women. In the Old Testament it was predicted that the kingdom of God should be fully manifested in due time. This has not yet taken place. Satan is still the prince of the power of the air and of the god of this age. The world is in its present evil condition because it has rejected Gods King; He alone can bring in the age of righteousness.
In Luke 2 we read, And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. He came to bring peace to the earth, to manifest Gods good will toward men. But they rejected the Prince of peace; and so before the Lord Jesus went away He said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. God has not changed His plans because men were not ready to receive the kingdom; His kingdom is yet to be set up in this world. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. We are told in the next verse how this came to pass: About an eight day after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. This was probably Mount Hermon. When the Lord ascended that mountain with the disciples it was that they might have a picture of the kingdom which was to come. We know that, because Peter tells us (2Pe 1:16), For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount. Peter tells us here that what took place on the mount of transfiguration was really a vision of the coming glory, the kingdom of God in minature.
So with this before us, we look somewhat carefully at what is recorded concerning it. When we ponder Lukes account we find our Lord in prayer as on many other occasions. Sometimes people are perplexed about this, and ask, How could He be God, and yet feel the need of prayer? They forget that though He was God from all eternity, yet He chose to become Man, and as Man, He was dependent upon the Father. Prayer was to Him the expression of sweetest communion with the Father; it was the acknowledging of His manhood looking up to heaven for the strength to do the Fathers will.
And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering. We may know something of this in our own lives, for as we pray we are transformed. Oh, how many times we have known people who are sinful, wicked, crude, uncultured, and uncouth, who came to know the Lord and trusted Him as their Saviour; and then as they communed with Him, even while they prayed, the fashion of their countenance was altered! Many people who were once so unruly and dishonorable have made the most devoted witnesses. As Christians, we cannot afford to neglect prayer. One reason many of us make so little progress in our Christian life is that we do not pray enough. We pray in the time of distress, but when all goes well we do not take time to wait on God and have blessed communion with Him. If we would do this, we would become more like Him, and manifest more of His grace and tenderness and compassion for sinners. We would be less likely to criticize and be unkind to other people if we would pray more. We become more like Christ as we spend time in fellowship with Him. In Johns Gospel we read, The Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us full of grace and truth. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ is there likened to the tabernacle which Moses set up in the wilderness. In the Holiest, Gods presence was manifested as the Shekinah shining between the cherubim. In the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ was hidden the glory of His deity, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. That glory shone forth in the things that He did; it was manifested in His restoring grace to those who had wandered. Here in a very special way it was seen as He communed with God on the mount, His raiment was white and glistering. The glory from within shone out, and He appeared as we shall yet see Him when He comes the second time in the glory of His Father and His own glory and in the glory of the angels.
And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias. Moses, the lawgiver, was the representative of the saints of the legal dispensation. Elias was the one sent from God to restore the people to God. These two Old Testament characters appeared with Jesus in the mount and talked with Him. Of what did they speak? What was the theme? Oh, the wonder of it! They were speaking with Him of that which will be our theme all through eternity as we recall what He did for us-suffering and dying for us. Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. They had come from God in heaven to spend that little time up there on the mount with the Lord Jesus, to talk with Him of what He would do on the cross of Calvary. It must have been a wonder indeed to the angels and to the saints in heaven, when He came from the throne of glory down to the manger in Bethlehem. They must have asked themselves why He did it. They watched His life on earth, and must have listened earnestly to His words when He said, The Son of Man must be slain and be raised on the third day. These two men were interested in Him, and they were talking about His death so soon to take place. We speak of it yet, and we should. If He had not done this for us, we would long since have been cast into eternal perdition. His death for us is the most important event of which we read in the Word of God. Listen to the redeemed in heaven as they bow before the throne and sing, Thou art worthy and Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God. That is what they sing up there. That is the theme that thrills their hearts. Oh, my friends, I must pause here and ask: Does it mean anything to you-the death of Christ? Has it ever spoken to your heart? Does it mean anything to you that Christ laid down His life for you? I may be speaking today to many who have scarcely given a thought to the death of Christ on the cross. Have you never reflected over this solemn and glorious thing, and said, The death He died was for me; the agony He suffered was for me, that I might enjoy the blessedness of being with Him forever?
But we turn again to consider this transfiguration scene. Our Lord Jesus intimated that it was a picture of the coming kingdom. The kingdoms of this world will never become the kingdom of our God and His Christ until the Lord returns again to this earth. He is not coming again as He came before. He will not come in lowliness and poverty; He is coming the second time in power and great glory. Then we read that all the earth shall wail because of Him. All shall bow before His feet.
We have a little picture of the glory which will be His when He comes again. Notice again the two men who appear with Him in His glory. How significant it is that it should be these particular two! First, there was Moses, the man who had died 1500 years before, and whose body God had hidden away so that Satan the corrupter could not touch it. We read that God buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. Moses appeared in a physical body shining with the same glory as Jesus Christ. That reminds us that when the Lord comes to set up His kingdom, He will bring those who have died in Him. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
Then consider the other man, Elias-the man who had never died at all, the man who, in his discouragement, prayed that he might die. He cried, Lord, let me die. The Lord, as it were, said, No, Elias; I am not going to answer that prayer; I am going to take you to Myself without dying. So Elias was caught up into glory, and centuries later he appears as we read in these verses. He represents another group-that one of which the apostle Paul speaks in 1Th 4:17, Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Then He will bring in the kingdom, and our Lord will reign. Oh, how this world needs the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts join in the prayer, Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This is the picture then of the coming King. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him. Sometimes when the Lord has the most wonderful things to reveal to us, we are not in condition to receive them. The apostles might have heard more of that conversation between the Lord and Moses and Elias, but they went off to sleep. When they awoke they saw His glory and the two men that stood with Him. Then Peter exclaimed, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. Poor Peter! He was always speaking out of turn because he felt he had to say something. Sometimes it is better just to look on and say nothing; but Peter, moved by what he had seen and heard, proposed that booths should be erected in honor of the three who were seen in glory-Jesus, Moses, and Elias. While he thus spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. They dreaded the next experience, as we often do. But there was nothing to fear. There came a voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him. God will not have anyone put on the same level with His Son, Jesus Christ. If people would bow before Moses, Moses must go. The same for Elias. Peter never forgot this voice. When he wrote his second epistle just before he died, he was still thinking of it. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. The reason for that was the leaders and the people had definitely put themselves on record as rejecting the Saviour, and had refused to accept Him as their Messiah; and this was revealed only to His disciples for their encouragement in the days to come. Now it can all be told.
Jesus takes the highest station, and His people bow before Him and acknowledge Him in praise and adoration. Soon He will return and the kingdom will come in all its splendor, when He shall reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
I tell: Mat 16:28, Mar 9:1, Joh 14:2, Joh 16:7
some: Joh 21:22, Joh 21:23
taste: Luk 2:26, Joh 8:51, Joh 8:52, Joh 8:59, Heb 2:9
see: Luk 22:18, Mar 14:25
Reciprocal: Luk 21:3 – Of
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
If the kingdom of God has not yet been set up (as certain people teach), then the world has in it somewhere a number of persons who are many centuries old!
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
There is a three-fold sense and interpretation of these words given by expositors.
1. Some refer the words to the times of the gospel after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, when the gospel was propagated far and near, and the kingdom of God came with power.
Learn thence, that where the gospel is powerfully preached, and cheerfully obeyed, there Christ comes most gloriously in his kingdom.
2. Others understand these words of Christ’s coming and exercising his kingly power in the destruction of Jerusalem, which some of the apostles then standing by lived to see.
3. Others (as most agreeable to the context) understand the words with reference to our Saviour’s transfiguration; as if he had said, “Some of you, (meaning Peter, James, and John,) shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor, and that in such splendor and glory, as shall be a preludium, a shadow and representation, of that glory which I shall appear in, when I shall come with power to judge the world at the great day.”
And whereas our Saviour said not, there are some standing here which shall not die, but which shall not taste of death, until they have seen this glorious sight; this implies two things.
1. That after they had seen this transfiguration, they must taste of death as well as others.
2. That they should but taste of it, and no more.
From whence learn, 1. That the most renowned servants of Christ, for faith, holiness, and service, must at length, in God’s appointed time, taste and have experience of death, as well as others.
3. That although they must taste, yet they shall but taste of death; they shall not drink of the dregs of that bitter cup; though they fall by the hand of death, yet shall they not be hurt by it, but in the very fall be victorious over it.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
In view of the following incident, the Transfiguration, the "some" in this verse appears to refer to some of the disciples, namely, Peter, John, and James (cf. Luk 9:28). The Transfiguration was a preview of the kingdom of God in which three disciples saw Jesus in the glorified state that will be His in the kingdom (cf. 2Pe 1:16-18). Jesus’ reference to tasting death here connects with what He had just implied about the disciples possibly having to die for their testimonies (Luk 9:23-25). The introductory "but" implied that many disciples would die before they saw the kingdom. Jesus was anticipating His rejection (Luk 9:22) and the consequent postponement of the messianic kingdom.
Other views of what Jesus meant include His resurrection. However most of the disciples present probably saw Jesus after His resurrection, and that event did not initiate the messianic kingdom. Others believe that Jesus referred to Pentecost. Yet most of the disciples present saw Pentecost, and Pentecost did not begin the kingdom. Another view is that Jesus meant the destruction of Jerusalem, but that event did not initiate the kingdom either. A fourth view is that Jesus meant the disciples would simply live to see the inauguration of the kingdom. Still the messianic kingdom did not begin within the lifetime of any of those disciples. Another view is that the "some" are the people present who believe in Jesus and the others are unbelievers. The problem with this view is that unbelievers are not in view in the context, and the messianic kingdom did not begin during the lifetime of any of those disciples. People who hold these views have to redefine the messianic kingdom to include God’s present rule over His own. This view of the kingdom differs from Old Testament prophecies of it as an earthly reign of Messiah.