There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death

[researcher]

a [some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom] Referring to disciples seeing Him transfigured, as He will be in the kingdom when it is set up at the second coming (17:1-8; 2Pet. 1:16-18).

Read the context and time frame.

Mat 16:27 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.
Mat 16:28 Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

 

[Vic C.]

a [some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom] Referring to disciples seeing Him transfigured, as He will be in the kingdom when it is set up at the second coming (17:1-8; 2Pet. 1:16-18).

Read the context and time frame.

Mat 16:27 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.
Mat 16:28 Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

I have and context says the transfiguration was six days later. My first impulse thought was, "well that isn't much of a prophecy if it actually referred to an event six days in the future." To me, it's a fair assumption to say a whole mess of people did not die in that six day span.

 

[researcher]

I have and context says the transfiguration was six days later. My first impulse thought was, "well that isn't much of a prophecy if it actually referred to an event six days in the future." To me, it's a fair assumption to say a whole mess of people did not die in that six day span.

Lol. That was funny, and, I wholeheartedly agree. Lol.

 

[Ema]

Hello,

"Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."Matthew 16:28

"And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light." Matthew 17:,2

Peter, James and John saw a miniature of the second coming before they die.

It is significant that Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the narrative of the Transfiguration immediately following this prediction. There is no break in the narrative--no chapter or verse division in the Greek original--and furthermore all three mention the fact that the Transfiguration occurred about a week after this statement, implying that the event was the fulfillment of the prediction. The connection between the two sections of narrative seems to cancel the possibility that Jesus here referred to anything but the Transfiguration, which was a miniature demonstration of the kingdom of glory. Without a doubt, Peter also understood it like explained, check 2 Peter 1:16-18.

"...but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"

 

[JudaicChristian]

• Mat 16:27 The Son of Man is going to come with his messengers in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.
  Mat 16:28 Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience death, but they will see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

• Revelation 2:11
  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
  
  Revelation 20:6
  Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
  
  Revelation 20:14
  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
  
  Revelation 21:8
  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

• Matthew 10:28
  Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both spirit and body in hell/grave.

 

[Sinthesis]

a [some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom] Referring to disciples seeing Him transfigured, as He will be in the kingdom when it is set up at the second coming (17:1-8; 2Pet. 1:16-18).

Read the context and time frame.

Mat 16:27 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.
Mat 16:28 Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

I have and context says the transfiguration was six days later. My first impulse thought was, "well that isn't much of a prophecy if it actually referred to an event six days in the future." To me, it's a fair assumption to say a whole mess of people did not die in that six day span.

Well, when you consider Jesus was addressing His disciples, it is fair to say that NONE of them died within six days. If the transfiguration is to be equated with "the Son of man coming in His kingdom", then this actually makes Jesus' choice of the word "some" misleading.

In Mat 16:21-28 Jesus is explaining His mission to His disciples to the point of rebuking Peter as "Satan" for clinging to preconceived Jewish notions of what the Messiah would do. Jesus is being direct, not misleading.

 

[interpreter]

The one disciple standing there that did not taste death before Jesus returned was of course John who saw Jesus reveal His kingdom on the Isle of Patmos.

 

[archangel_300]

I didn't read through the whole thread entirely but I think one poster did hit the nail on the head.
The phrase "taste of death" is not referring to physical death. If you compare scripture with scripture the phrase "taste of death" or "taste death" in the New Testament context is always referring to eternal damnation. So Jesus was stating a spiritual truth... there are those who will physically die who will not suffer eternal damnation until Christ returns. And this makes sense because when Christ returns it is Judgment Day and how can you go to hell unless you have an official trial to figure out what the punishment will be like?

I think this is a very illuminating passage because it indicates that no unsaved person is suffering in hell yet. They either do not have any conscious existence or they are in a place awaiting the final judgment but none have tasted God's wrath yet. From what I gather from reading the rest of the scriptures it almost appears that the unsaved dead do not have any conscious existence while believers go straight to heaven when they die.

 

[JudaicChristian]

Death is the reward of the condemned, and life immortal is the reward of the Elect.