Some Standing Here Will Not Taste Death
Understanding the Saying
Jesus tells his disciples that some people standing with him “will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Mark similarly says they will see the kingdom of God come with power. Since everyone standing there died many centuries ago, the saying raises an obvious question: what event did Jesus expect some of them to witness?
Several interpretations have been proposed, and the placement of the saying immediately before the Transfiguration is particularly important.
Interpretations
The Transfiguration is one of the oldest and most natural interpretations. In all three Synoptic Gospels, the saying is followed almost immediately by the account in which Peter, James, and John see Jesus transformed in glory. They literally are “some standing here,” and they receive an extraordinary preview of Jesus' royal glory.
This interpretation is strengthened by the narrative arrangement, but it also raises a question. Saying that some would remain alive for only about another week sounds less dramatic than the solemn wording might lead us to expect.
A second interpretation points to Jesus' resurrection and exaltation. The disciples who survive the crucifixion see Jesus vindicated, and the resurrection marks the decisive beginning of his royal authority being proclaimed to the world.
A third interpretation includes Pentecost and the rapid expansion of the early church. The kingdom “coming with power” can then describe the visible effects of Jesus' exaltation through the Spirit and the mission of his followers.
Another important interpretation connects the saying with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. On this view, Jesus speaks of the Son of Man's vindication and royal authority being demonstrated in historical judgment, drawing upon the imagery of Daniel 7.
Finally, some interpreters understand the saying as referring directly to Jesus' final return and conclude either that Jesus expected it within the lifetime of some hearers or that the saying has somehow been misunderstood or reshaped in transmission. This remains an important historical-critical interpretation and should not simply be concealed.
Helpful Background
These optional background notes provide additional cultural, historical, linguistic, or scriptural context for this saying.
Assessment
The Transfiguration deserves particular weight because Matthew, Mark, and Luke all place it immediately after this saying. The event allows selected disciples to see Jesus in extraordinary glory and functions naturally as a preview of the kingdom.
Yet the saying may have a wider horizon than that event alone. Resurrection, exaltation, Pentecost, the spread of the gospel, and historical vindication all belong to the manifestation of Jesus' kingship in the decades experienced by his first followers.
The passage therefore need not require the conclusion that Jesus predicted his final return within a few years. Nevertheless, that interpretation has been seriously proposed, and the unusual wording explains why the saying remains debated.
Why It Matters
The disciples were not told merely to believe that Jesus would someday be vindicated beyond their own experience. Some of them would witness decisive signs of his royal glory themselves. Beginning with the Transfiguration and continuing through resurrection and the birth of the church, they would see events that transformed their understanding of who Jesus was and what his kingdom meant.
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
