“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.”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 16:28 Mean?
Jesus makes a promise with a deadline: some of those standing with him will not die before seeing "the Son of man coming in his kingdom." The statement has generated extensive debate — what event is Jesus referring to? The most common interpretations point to the Transfiguration (which immediately follows in chapter 17), the resurrection, Pentecost, or the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
The phrase "shall not taste of death" uses a Semitic idiom for experiencing death — suggesting that the event will occur within the lifetime of Jesus' current audience. This isn't a distant eschatological promise; it's near-term. Some of these specific people will witness it.
The Transfiguration reading is supported by Matthew's placement: the very next scene (17:1-8) is Peter, James, and John seeing Jesus in glorified, kingdom form on the mountain. The Son of man's kingdom glory was briefly, visibly revealed to three disciples who were indeed "standing here."
Reflection Questions
- 1.Which interpretation of this promise resonates most with you — Transfiguration, resurrection, Pentecost, or something else?
- 2.When have you 'seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom' — experienced kingdom reality breaking into your present?
- 3.How does knowing the kingdom arrives in stages (not all at once) change your expectations?
- 4.What would it mean to 'see' the kingdom before you die — and are you watching for it?
Devotional
Some of you standing here will see it before you die. Jesus makes a promise with a deadline attached — and the deadline falls within the lifetimes of the people listening.
The most natural reading connects this to what happens next in Matthew: six days later, Peter, James, and John climb a mountain with Jesus and see him transfigured — his face shining like the sun, his clothes blazing white, Moses and Elijah appearing beside him. For a few minutes, three disciples see the Son of man in his kingdom glory. They taste the future without tasting death.
But the Transfiguration is a preview, not the full show. The kingdom Jesus describes throughout the Gospels is bigger than a mountaintop experience. The resurrection, Pentecost, the spread of the church, the fall of Jerusalem — each of these represents the Son of man "coming in his kingdom" in different dimensions. The promise might have multiple fulfillments, each one revealing a different facet of kingdom reality.
What matters for you is the principle: Jesus promises that the kingdom isn't always distant. Sometimes it breaks through within your lifetime, within your sight, within your experience. You don't have to wait for the second coming to see the Son of man's authority at work. The kingdom is coming — and some of its arrivals happen while you're still standing.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
This discourse is also recorded in Mar 8:34-38; Mar 9:1; and Luk 9:23-27. Let him, deny himself - That is, let him…
Christ, having shown his disciples that he must suffer, and that he was ready and willing to suffer, here shows them…
Taste of death Compare
The valiant never taste of death but once. Jul. Caes.Act. ii. 2.
St Matthew's version of this…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture