“Please explain Matthew 16:28, where Jesus said, “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.” Jesus’ disciples died long ago. But Christ still has not returned with His Kingdom. What is the meaning of this verse?

The context of the verse clearly reveals the meaning.  Note that Jesus was talking only to His disciples (Matt.16:21). Then in verse 28, Jesus made it clear that He was referring to only some of His disciples by saying “SOME standing here.”

Next, notice that Jesus stated that they would “see the son of man coming in his kingdom” before they died. He didn’t say He was actually going to come before they would “taste of death.”  The first verse of the next chapter begins with “and” — it is a continuation of the same train of thought.  The next few verses are still a part of the context of verse 28 of the preceding chapter.

Continue reading into the next chapter: “and after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart.”   Here were some of Jesus’ disciples going with Him.  Now, read the companion account of this occurrence in Luke 9:28-32. Jesus went up into the mountain to pray (verse 28).  “And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening” verse 29).  “…they saw his glory (verse 32).

In the book of II Peter 1:16-18 — Simon Peter writes — 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 -- verse 17 --- “when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory  “This is my beloved son, in whom I AM WELL PLEASED.'"   Verse 18 --- when we were with him in the holy mount.

Much later, the apostle John, one of this same group, again describes seeing Christ in His glory, “…One like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:13-15).  Both times John saw this manifestation in a VISION.  Note Revelation 1:10 says the picture came when he was “in the spirit.”  Matthew 17:9 says in a similar but more positive vein, “Jesus charged them saying, Tell The Vision to no man.”  The disciples saw these thing only in VISION—not in  reality!

Read both accounts of this occurrence in Matthew 17 and in Luke 9.  Christ has yet to come in real, actual glory as Kings of kings and Lord of lords.  But James, Peter and John had a foretaste — in vision --- while they were yet alive.

-editor