Matthew 16:27-28 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

How could this be any more clear? Jesus was speaking directly to His disciples.

• He was not misleading them.
  
  

• He was not speaking symbolically.
  
  

• He plainly told them that some of them would still be alive when He came in His kingdom.
  
  

John 21:22 Jesus said to Peter, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"

• Again, Jesus points to His coming as something within the lifetime of His disciples.
  
  

• This statement would be meaningless if His coming were still 2,000 years in the future.
  
  

What about the Transfiguration? Many Christians are taught that Matthew 16:27-28 is about the Transfiguration. But look carefully:

• The Transfiguration happened just six days later (Matthew 17:1).
  
  

• Jesus said some standing there would not taste death, which would not be an amazing promise if it was just a week away.
  
  

• Were all men rewarded according to their works six days later? No, they were not.
  
  

Revelation 22:12 connects the rewarding of every man to His coming: "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves."

• The rewarding happens at His coming, not at the Transfiguration.
  
  

• The Transfiguration was not the fulfillment, but a preview.
  
  

The Transfiguration was a Confirmation, not the Fulfillment

2 Peter 1:16-18 Peter says they were "eyewitnesses of His majesty," confirming that what Jesus said was true.

• The Transfiguration showed them that Jesus would indeed return in His kingdom.
  
  

• It gave them assurance that He was not lying.
  
  

Audience Relevance Matters

Matthew 21:33-45 Jesus told the parable of the wicked tenants:

• Matthew 21:43 - "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit."
  
  

• Matthew 21:45 - "When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them."
  
  

• Jesus made sure they knew He was talking about them, not some future generation thousands of years later.
  
  

More Proof from Matthew 24 and Luke 21

Matthew 24:34 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place."

Luke 21:22 "Because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled."

• Jesus tied all prophecy to their generation, not ours.
  
  

• The fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD fulfilled His words exactly.
  
  

• Jesus' coming in judgment was seen by that generation, just as He promised.
  
  

As a believer who holds to the fulfilled view, I believe Jesus kept His word.

• He came in His kingdom.
  
  

• He judged the wicked.
  
  

• He rewarded each man according to his works.
  
  

• All just as He told His disciples.
  
  

Jesus is faithful and true. His promises did not fail.