“I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matt. 16:28
The juxtaposition of living for the kingdom that is “already, but not yet” AND living in this world creates a strange, strained tension for the follower of Christ. Certainly, space needs to be made for food and shelter, friends and family, seasons and change. Yet, more significantly, space must be made for that which matters for Christ’s kingdom and which has eternal consequence. Sadly, I am prone to emphasize the former and marginalize the latter. I have no doubt that Jesus understands this tension. It is for this reason that He goes to such great lengths to open the disciples’ eyes to kingdom realities, kingdom purposes, kingdom mission. Like you and me, they were far too earthly minded and struggled to truly see the import of Kingdom Come. It was this earthly mindedness that caused Jesus to tell Peter, “Get behind me, Satan” after Peter “rebuked” Jesus for prophesying his suffering and death at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law. At first blush, Peter’s zealous response to this prophecy seems praiseworthy, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” You have to appreciate how protective Peter is of Jesus. It may make Jesus’ response seem a bit over the top, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Yet, we should remember that it was Satan who sought to tempt Jesus with a shortcut to glory in Matthew 4:8-9, “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’” Jesus’ response, “Away from me, Satan,” is awfully similar to his response to Peter, “Get behind me Satan!” Both Satan and Peter had presented a means to avoiding the cross, the very purpose for which Jesus had come to earth. In fact, as we see in the verses that follow in Matthew 16, not only would Jesus be called to carry His cross, but the disciples, including Peter, would be called to carry their own crosses, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matt. 16:24). This provides some insight into the intensity of Jesus’ response with Peter. Jesus knew that the temptation to avoid suffering for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom was a temptation all disciples would be susceptible to. Honestly, all of us, as Jesus’ disciples, are tempted to prefer our comfort over taking up our crosses. That is why we need Jesus’ words just as much as the first disciples. We too need to catch a vision for Kingdom mission and heavenly reward. It is this reward Jesus mentions after calling the disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matt. 16:27). It is after this promise of eternal reward that we read the enigmatic words quoted above, ““I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matt. 16:28). What does this mean?!? This question has aroused more controversy than one might suppose. Is this pointing to the transfiguration in the next chapter? Christ’s crucifixion? Christ’s resurrection? Christ’s ascension? The launch of the church at Pentecost? The answer that I find most compelling is, “yes!” One of the most respected New Testament scholars alive today, D.A. Carson, writes, “It seems best to take 16:28 as having a more general reference—viz., not referring simply to the Resurrection, to Pentecost, or the like, but to the manifestation of Christ’s kingly reign exhibited after the Resurrection in a host of ways, not the least of them being the rapid multiplication of disciples and the mission to the Gentiles.” I agree with Carson that Christ’s focus, here, is not about a single event, but about a complex of events. He is seeking to impress the disciples with the significance of the Kingdom work that is just about to be unfolded in the birth and rapid growth of the church. They are witnessing the beginnings of Kingdom Come! The challenge this teaching presents is the same for us today as it was for Jesus’ original disciples, to help us see the unseen, eternal Kingdom of God as we dwell among the kingdoms of men. May Christ give all of us a greater passion for those things which make a kingdom difference. May we enjoy the good gifts He provides in the here and now without letting them be our be-all, end-all. May we learn to keep earthly joys in proper perspective so that we can see and further the eternal Kingdom of the living God while we await Jesus’ return. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
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Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
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