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Mat_16:28. Having affirmed the certainty of the second coming and the divine retribution, He now proceeds to do the same with regard to their nearness.
εἰσί τινες κ . τ . λ .] which refers to those present generally, and not merely to the disciples, presupposes that the majority of them will have died previous to the event in question.
γεύσωνται θανάτου ] The experiencing of death regarded as a tasting of it (of its pains). See note on Joh_8:52, and Wetstein.
ἕως κ . τ . λ .] not as though they were to die afterwards, but what is meant is, that they will still be living when it takes place. Comp. Mat_24:34; Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 2, p. 629 f.
ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ ] not for εἰς τὴν κ . τ . λ . (Beza, Raphel, and others), but as a king in all His regal authority (Plat. Rep. p. 499 B: τῶν νῦν ἐν δυναστείαις ἢ βασιλείαις ὄντων ). Luk_23:42. There is no substantial difference between the present prediction of Jesus as to His impending advent in glorious majesty (comp. Mat_10:23, Mat_24:34), and that in Mar_9:1; Luk_9:27. The βασιλεία cannot be supposed to come without the βασιλεύς . This, at the same time, in answer to Ebrard (comp. Baumeister in Klaiber’s Studien, II. 1, p. 19), who interprets this passage, not of the second coming to judgment, but, laying stress on the ἐν (against which the ἐν τῇ δόξῃ , Mat_16:27, should have duly warned), understands it as referring to the founding of the church, and particularly to what took place at Pentecost, and that notwithstanding the context and the words εἰσί τινες , etc., which, if this view were adopted, would be entirely out of place (Glass, Calovius). It is likewise to explain it away in a manner no less arbitrary, to understand the passage in the sense of a figurative coming in the destruction of Jerusalem and the diffusion of Christianity (Jac. Cappellus, Wetstein, Kuinoel, Schott, Glöckler, Bleek), or of the triumphant historical development of the gospel (Erasmus, Klostermann, Schenkel), or of the powerful influences of the spirit of the glorified Messiah as extending over the world (Paulus). Others, such as Beda, Vatablus, Maldonatus, Jansen, Clarius, Corn. a Lapide, following Chrysostom, Euth. Zigabenus, Theophylact, have so strangely perverted Christ’s prediction as even to make it refer to the incident of the transfiguration immediately following.
On the impending advent in general, see the observations at the close of ch. 24.