Matt. 16:27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
How do you explain Matthew 16:28? The plain reading of the text is Jesus exclaims some of the listeners in the crowd will be alive when he appears in the second coming. Many critics use this as an example of biblical error as obviously everyone standing in the crowd listening to Jesus have long since died before the second coming. My favorite rebuttal is that some of those “standing here” are actually alive to this day. They are the basis of the vampire legends. What say you?
Hi Kevin, Yes! Lots of room for interpretation on this one (as in much of the biblical canon, of course). I think it's short-sighted and a cheap shot to think of this as an example of "biblical error." Jesus could be referring to his ascension into heaven from the Mount of Olives, and the many resurrection reappearances that occur throughout the Gospels. I would also say that the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom is a rich phrase and one that we should hesitate to say we understand fully. After all, God's Kingdom is a refutation of the world's kingdoms - so who is to say we will recognize the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom. I also think here of Pentecost, which may mean Jesus foreshadowing the coming of the Holy Spirit. Eschatology is rich with room for interpretation. But I think Christians/theologians alike often spend too much time thinking of the world to come - and not enough wondering about God's presence in this world already. I personally prefer to leave room for holy mystery - and the dwelling invitation from Isaiah - that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and God's ways are not our ways. Thanks for the question and for reading, Kevin!
First, it’s great to have you back! That light shining in the darkness...
My comments on the Romans reading
The words that spoke to me were “be patient in suffering”. Since Christianity was taken over by Empire in the 4th century, the Western Church has chosen the crown over the cross. Because the cross involved too much suffering!
If I can believe what I have read in Bonhoeffer about Luther that is what led him to abandon monastic life where he had to give up everything to obey the kings ( the Pope and Bishops). Everything that is except Himself. That led him out into the world (system) into suffering and the cross.
Good to hear from you, Chris. I appreciate your comments a lot. They mirror much of my own evolution in how I talk about Christian Nationalism and its connection to historical Christendom. And Bonhoeffer is such an essential read and I too believe he must be read in context and comparison to Luther to fully understand his critique of the Two Kingdoms theory/ further explication of Theology of the Cross. Grateful. Happy Labor Day to you and yours.
Bonhoeffer is the only contemporary theologian we Lutherans have in a similar situation as we find ourselves in. ( btw this sentence breaks many grammatical rules, that I grew up with) there’s another😉. My pet peeve is saying since when you mean because! And of course I prefer the Oxford comma!
Matt. 16:27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
How do you explain Matthew 16:28? The plain reading of the text is Jesus exclaims some of the listeners in the crowd will be alive when he appears in the second coming. Many critics use this as an example of biblical error as obviously everyone standing in the crowd listening to Jesus have long since died before the second coming. My favorite rebuttal is that some of those “standing here” are actually alive to this day. They are the basis of the vampire legends. What say you?
Hi Kevin, Yes! Lots of room for interpretation on this one (as in much of the biblical canon, of course). I think it's short-sighted and a cheap shot to think of this as an example of "biblical error." Jesus could be referring to his ascension into heaven from the Mount of Olives, and the many resurrection reappearances that occur throughout the Gospels. I would also say that the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom is a rich phrase and one that we should hesitate to say we understand fully. After all, God's Kingdom is a refutation of the world's kingdoms - so who is to say we will recognize the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom. I also think here of Pentecost, which may mean Jesus foreshadowing the coming of the Holy Spirit. Eschatology is rich with room for interpretation. But I think Christians/theologians alike often spend too much time thinking of the world to come - and not enough wondering about God's presence in this world already. I personally prefer to leave room for holy mystery - and the dwelling invitation from Isaiah - that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and God's ways are not our ways. Thanks for the question and for reading, Kevin!
First, it’s great to have you back! That light shining in the darkness...
My comments on the Romans reading
The words that spoke to me were “be patient in suffering”. Since Christianity was taken over by Empire in the 4th century, the Western Church has chosen the crown over the cross. Because the cross involved too much suffering!
If I can believe what I have read in Bonhoeffer about Luther that is what led him to abandon monastic life where he had to give up everything to obey the kings ( the Pope and Bishops). Everything that is except Himself. That led him out into the world (system) into suffering and the cross.
Peace and Love,
It is a rough road you have chosen…
-Chris
Good to hear from you, Chris. I appreciate your comments a lot. They mirror much of my own evolution in how I talk about Christian Nationalism and its connection to historical Christendom. And Bonhoeffer is such an essential read and I too believe he must be read in context and comparison to Luther to fully understand his critique of the Two Kingdoms theory/ further explication of Theology of the Cross. Grateful. Happy Labor Day to you and yours.
Bonhoeffer is the only contemporary theologian we Lutherans have in a similar situation as we find ourselves in. ( btw this sentence breaks many grammatical rules, that I grew up with) there’s another😉. My pet peeve is saying since when you mean because! And of course I prefer the Oxford comma!