Truly I tell you,This phrase emphasizes the certainty and importance of what Jesus is about to say. It is a solemn declaration, often used by Jesus to introduce significant teachings or prophecies. The use of "truly" (amen in Greek) underscores the truthfulness and authority of His words.
some who are standing here
Jesus is addressing His disciples and possibly a larger group of followers. This indicates that the prophecy is immediate and relevant to those present at that moment. It suggests that the fulfillment of this statement would occur within the lifetime of some of His listeners.
will not taste death
This expression is a Semitic idiom meaning they will not die. It implies that the event Jesus is referring to will happen soon enough that some of His audience will still be alive to witness it. This phrase is used elsewhere in Scripture to denote the experience of death (e.g.,Hebrews 2:9).
before they see the Son of Man
The title "Son of Man" is a messianic term that Jesus frequently uses for Himself, drawing fromDaniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man is given authority and an everlasting kingdom. This title emphasizes both His humanity and His divine authority.
coming in His kingdom.”
This phrase has been interpreted in various ways. Some see it as referring to the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8), which occurs shortly after this statement and reveals Jesus' divine glory to Peter, James, and John. Others interpret it as the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, or the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, which demonstrated Jesus' prophetic authority and the establishment of His spiritual kingdom. Each of these events signifies the inauguration of the kingdom of God in different aspects, highlighting Jesus' role as the Messiah and King.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristThe speaker of this verse, Jesus is addressing His disciples and making a prophetic statement about the coming of His kingdom.
2.
DisciplesThe immediate audience of Jesus' statement. They are the ones who are told they will witness the coming of the kingdom.
3.
Son of ManA title Jesus often uses for Himself, emphasizing His role in divine authority and fulfillment of prophecy.
4.
Kingdom of GodThe central theme of Jesus' ministry, referring to God's sovereign rule and the fulfillment of His promises.
5.
TransfigurationAn event that some scholars believe fulfills this prophecy, where Jesus is revealed in glory to Peter, James, and John (
Matthew 17:1-9).
Teaching Points
Understanding ProphecyJesus' words in
Matthew 16:28 remind us of the importance of understanding biblical prophecy and its fulfillment in Christ. We should study Scripture diligently to see how God's promises are realized.
Witnessing the KingdomThe disciples were privileged to witness the kingdom's power through events like the Transfiguration. As believers, we are called to recognize and testify to God's kingdom at work in our lives today.
Living in ExpectationJesus' promise encourages us to live with an expectation of His return and the full realization of His kingdom. This should motivate us to live holy and purposeful lives.
The Authority of ChristThe title "Son of Man" and the coming of the kingdom highlight Jesus' authority. We are called to submit to His lordship in every area of our lives.
Hope in FulfillmentJust as the disciples saw the fulfillment of Jesus' words, we can have hope that all of God's promises will come to pass. This hope should sustain us through trials and challenges.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Matthew 16:28?
2.How does Matthew 16:28 encourage readiness for Christ's kingdom in our lives?
3.What does "some standing here" reveal about Jesus' audience and His prophecy?
4.How does Matthew 16:28 connect with the Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-9?
5.How can we live daily with expectancy for Christ's return as taught here?
6.What does Matthew 16:28 teach about the immediacy of God's kingdom presence?
7.What did Jesus mean by "some standing here will not taste death" in Matthew 16:28?
8.How does Matthew 16:28 align with the belief in Jesus' second coming?
9.Did the events of Matthew 16:28 occur during the disciples' lifetime?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 16?
11.How can we reconcile Jesus’s prophecy in Matthew 16:28 that some disciples would not die before seeing the Son of Man coming with the fact that they all eventually died?
12.What did Jesus mean by "some will not taste death"?
13.Why did Jesus say that some of His followers "will not taste death" before He returns (Matthew 16:28)?
14.Why didn’t Jesus return as He promised His disciples?What Does Matthew 16:28 Mean
Truly I tell youJesus begins with His characteristic “Truly,” underscoring absolute reliability. When He speaks, there is no guesswork—only certainty (Matthew 24:35;John 14:6). He is about to announce something prophetic, so He prefaces it with a pledge of truthfulness that invites the disciples—and us—to lean in and believe every word.
some who are standing hereThe promise is personal and immediate. It is addressed to an identifiable group right in front of Him—the Twelve and possibly a few others (Mark 9:1;Luke 9:27).
• Not every listener, but “some.”
• The statement sets up anticipation that specific individuals then living will witness what He is about to describe.
Peter, James, and John quickly come to mind because of what happens just six days later (Matthew 17:1-2).
will not taste deathThis familiar Jewish idiom simply means they will stay alive; death will not interrupt their experience (John 8:52;Hebrews 2:9). Jesus is assuring that the fulfillment is near-term, not centuries away.
• No ambiguity about lifespan—the clock is already ticking.
• His credibility rests on the promise coming true while those listeners still breathe.
before they see“See” stresses firsthand, eyewitness experience (1 John 1:1-3;Acts 10:40-41). These chosen disciples won’t rely on rumor; their own eyes will capture the moment.
What they are about to witness will:
• Strengthen their faith for the trials ahead.
• Become foundational testimony for the church (2 Peter 1:16).
the Son of Man coming in His kingdomWithin a week Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain and is transfigured before them (Matthew 17:1-9). There,
• His face shines like the sun, and His clothes become white as light—kingdom glory unveiled.
• Moses and Elijah appear, representing the Law and the Prophets fulfilled in Him.
• The Father’s voice declares, “This is My beloved Son… listen to Him!”
That mountaintop preview satisfies the promise. Those disciples literally saw “the Son of Man coming in His kingdom,” a snapshot of His royal majesty (2 Peter 1:17-18).
Yet the Transfiguration also points forward:
• Resurrection power (Matthew 28:18).
• Ascension authority (Acts 1:9-11).
• Pentecost advance of the kingdom (Acts 2:32-36).
• Final return in glory (Revelation 19:11-16).
The verse’s immediate fulfillment affirms Jesus’ veracity; its prophetic overtones keep the church looking ahead in hope.
summaryMatthew 16:28 is Jesus’ ironclad pledge that some disciples would live to witness a breathtaking display of His kingly glory. Six days later the Transfiguration delivered exactly that, validating His words and providing a down payment on the full, visible reign still to come. His promise proved true then, and it secures our confidence that every remaining promise will likewise be fulfilled.
(28)
There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death. . .--The immediate sequence of the vision of the Son of Man transfigured from the low estate in which He then lived and moved, into the "excellent glory" which met the gaze of the three disciples, has led not a few interpreters to see in that vision the fulfilment of this prediction. A closer scrutiny of the words must, however, lead us to set aside that interpretation, except so far as the Transfiguration bore witness to what had till then been the latent possibilities of His greatness. To speak of something that was to take place within six days as to occur before
some of those who heard the words should taste of death (comp.
John 8:52,
Hebrews 2:9, for the form of the expression) would hardly have been natural; nor does the vision, as such, satisfy the meaning of the words "coming in His kingdom." The solution of the problem is to be found in the great prophecy of Matthew 24. In a sense which was real, though partial, the judgment which fell upon the Jewish Church, the destruction of the Holy City and the Temple, the onward march of the Church of Christ, was as the coming of the Son of Man in His kingdom. His people felt that He was not far off from every one of them. He had come to them in "spirit and in power," and that advent was at once the earnest and the foreshadowing of the "great far-off event," the day and hour of which were hidden from the angels of God, and even from the Son of Man Himself (
Mark 13:32). The words find their parallel in those that declared that "This generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled" (
Matthew 24:34). That such words should have been recorded and published by the Evangelists is a proof either that they accepted that interpretation, if
they wrote after the destruction of Jerusalem, or, if we assume that they were led by them to look for the "end of all things" as near at hand, that they wrote before the generation of those who then stood by had passed away; and so the very difficulty that has perplexed men becomes a proof of the early date of the three Gospels that contain the record.
Verse 28. - This verse has always been acrux to commentators, who cannot decide what is the event to which it refers. Many, taking it in connection with the preceding announcement, refer it exclusively to the day of judgment; but this idea is not compatible with Christ's assertion that some present shall see it ere they die. Nor can it refer to Christ's resurrection and ascension, and the mission of the Holy Ghost, which took place only half a year after this time, and the prediction of which so short a time before could not have been introduced in the terms here used. Other expositors, and some of great name, agree that the event to which Christ alludes is his transfiguration narrated in the next chapter. But there are insuperable objections to this view. How could Christ assert in the most solemn manner,Verily, I say untoyou, that some of his hearers would tire to witness an event which was to occur only a week hence? Nor is it likely that he would thus publicly announce a transaction which was strictly private, seen only by three chosen witnesses, who were further charged not to reveal the vision till the Son of man was risen from the dead. The Lord had been telling of the final judgment; he now announces, with the formula used by him to present some revelation of Divine truth, that there was to be a coming of the Son of man at no very distant date. This advent is doubtless the destruction of Jerusalem, which, as it occurred only some forty years after this time, some of his auditors, apostles and the multitude, would live to behold. This great event was a type of the second advent, the two being closely connected by Christ himself (see ch. 24.). There is some truth in all the views that have obtained concerning this passage: "The prophecy unfolded itself by degrees; it has put forth buds and blossoms, but it will not be in its full bloom of accomplishment till the great day" (Wordsworth). There was some display of Christ's kingdom at the Transfiguration; another at his resurrection, and the events consequent thereupon; but the great one was when the overthrow of Jerusalem and its temple made way for the full establishment and development of the gospel, putting an end to the first dispensation.Some standing (of them that stand)here. Among the apostles St. John certainly survived the destruction of Jerusalem. There seems to be no recondite meaning in the term "standing," as if it signified "remaining steadfastly by me, adhering to my side;" as,taste of death is merely a periphrasis for "die," and has not the sense of tasting the bitterness of death, experiencing its sting. It appears to have been originally a metaphor derived from a nauseous draught, which every one must drain.Coming in his kingdom. Not "into his kingdom," but in the power and glory that appertain to his kingdom. Not that he will personally appear, but his mystical presence will be seen by its effects, the judgment on the Jewish nation, the establishment of a spiritual, yet visible kingdom in the place of the old covenant. There may be a similar allusion in Christ's words about St. John, "If I will that he tarry till I come" (John 21:23), and "This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:34) - where the dissolution of the Jewish polity is the event signified.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Truly
Ἀμὴν(Amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's 281:Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.
I tell
λέγω(legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.
you,
ὑμῖν(hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
some
τινες(tines)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5100:Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
who
τῶν(tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
are
εἰσίν(eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
standing
ἑστώτων(hestōtōn)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2476:A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.
here
ὧδε(hōde)
Adverb
Strong's 5602:From an adverb form of hode; in this same spot, i.e. Here or hither.
will not taste
γεύσωνται(geusōntai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1089:(a) I taste, (b) I experience. A primary verb; to taste; by implication, to eat; figuratively, to experience.
death
θανάτου(thanatou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288:Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.
until
ἕως(heōs)
Conjunction
Strong's 2193:A conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until.
they see
ἴδωσιν(idōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3708:Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.
the
τὸν(ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
Son
Υἱὸν(Huion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207:A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.
of Man
ἀνθρώπου(anthrōpou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 444:A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.
coming
ἐρχόμενον(erchomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2064:To come, go.
in
ἐν(en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.
His
αὐτοῦ(autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
kingdom.”
βασιλείᾳ(basileia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932:From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.
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NT Gospels: Matthew 16:28 Most certainly I tell you there (Matt. Mat Mt)
