Luke 9:27

9:27 This difficult verse has been interpreted as referring to: (1) the second coming of Christ; (2) the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70; (3) the resurrection of Jesus; or (4) the transfiguration, which follows in 9:28-36. The last possibility is the most likely.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 9:27. Τῶν ὧδε ἑστώτων) This Genitive may seem to have arisen from parallelism.[79] For the Vulg. has “hic stantes.”[80]

[79] To stand parallel to the Genitives at the close of Luk 9:26.—ED. and TRANSL.

[80] So also ab. But “hic stantium” in c; d has “qui hic stant.”—ED. and TRANSL.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 9:27 . ἀληθῶς = ἀμὴν in parallels. αὐτοῦ , here = ὧδε in parallels. τὴν βασ . τ . Θ ., the Kingdom of God, a simplified expression compared with those in Mt. and Mk., perhaps due to the late period at which Lk. wrote, probably understood by him as referring to the origination of the church at Pentecost.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

not taste of death fill they see the kingdom of God--"see it come with power" (Mar 9:1); or see "the Son of man coming in His kingdom" (Mat 16:28). The reference, beyond doubt, is to the firm establishment and victorious progress, in the lifetime of some then present, of that new Kingdom of Christ, which was destined to work the greatest of all changes on this earth, and be the grand pledge of His final coming in glory.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

27. which shall not taste of death] In the Arabian poem, Antar, Death is represented as slaying men by handing them a cup of poison. This was a common Eastern metaphor.

till they see the kingdom of God] St Mark (Mar_9:1) adds “coming in power.” St Matthew (Mat_16:28) says “till they see the Son of man coming

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered,.... It became exceeding bright and glorious, it shone like the sun, Mat 17:2 and hereby his prayer was answered; and thus, as Christ was heard and answered, whilst he was yet speaking, so are his people sometimes; and even their countenance is altered, when they are favoured with communion with God, and instead of a sad and dejected countenance, they have a cheerful one.

And his raiment was white and glistering; it was as white as the light, as snow, and whiter than any fuller on earth could whiten, as the other evangelists say, and so glistened exceedingly; See Gill on Mat 17:2. See Gill on Mar 9:3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

Ver. 27. See Mat 16:28; Mar 9:1.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Kingdom of God. This is generally understood of the transfiguration, in which Christ shewed to the three disciples an essay of his glory. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

But I tell you of a truth, there he some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. This magnificent promise has always been more or less a difficulty to expositors. Two favourite explanations which

(1) in the Transfiguration mystery,

(2) in the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Jewish state,

see the fulfilment of this great prediction, must be put aside as inadequate, as failing utterly to satisfy any idea of the kingdom of God. Concerning (1), it must be borne in mind that the words were addressed, not only to the disciples, but to a mixed multitude; the expression then, "there be some standing here," etc., would seem to point to more than three (Peter, James, anti John were alone present at the Transfiguration) who should, while living, see the kingdom of God. Concerning (2), those who were witnesses of the great catastrophe which resulted in the sack of Jerusalem and the ruin of the Jewish polity, can scarcely be said to have looked on the kingdom of God. It was rather a great and terrible judgment; in no way can it fairly be termed the kingdom, or even its herald; it was simply an awful event in the world"s story. But surely the Lord"s disciples, the holy women, the still larger outer circle of loving followers of Jesus, who were changed by what happened during the forty days which immediately succeeded the Resurrection morning changed from simple, loving, fearful, doubting men and women, into the brave resistless preachers and teachers of the new faith the five hundred who gazed on the risen Lord in the Galilaean mountain, these may in good earnest be said to have seen, while in life, "the kingdom of God." These five hundred, or at all events many of them, after the Resurrection, not only looked on God, but grasped the meaning of the presence and work of God on earth. The secret of the strange resistless power of these men in a hostile world was that their eyes had gazed on some of the sublime glories, and their ears had heard some of the tremendous secrets of the kingdom of God.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is a three-fold sense and interpretation of these words given by expositors.

1. Some refer the words to the times of the gospel after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, when the gospel was propagated far and near, and the kingdom of God came with power.

Learn thence, that where the gospel is powerfully preached, and cheerfully obeyed, there Christ comes most gloriously in his kingdom.

2. Others understand these words of Christ’s coming and exercising his kingly power in the destruction of Jerusalem, which some of the apostles then standing by lived to see.

3. Others (as most agreeable to the context) understand the words with reference to our Saviour’s transfiguration; as if he had said, "Some of you, (meaning Peter, James, and John,) shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor, and that in such splendor and glory, as shall be a preludium, a shadow and representation, of that glory which I shall appear in, when I shall come with power to judge the world at the great day."

And whereas our Saviour said not, there are some standing here which shall not die, but which shall not taste of death, until they have seen this glorious sight; this implies two things.

1. That after they had seen this transfiguration, they must taste of death as well as others.

2. That they should but taste of it, and no more.

From whence learn, 1. That the most renowned servants of Christ, for faith, holiness, and service, must at length, in God’s appointed time, taste and have experience of death, as well as others.

3. That although they must taste, yet they shall but taste of death; they shall not drink of the dregs of that bitter cup; though they fall by the hand of death, yet shall they not be hurt by it, but in the very fall be victorious over it.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. ὧδε. (Rec[189]) A more commonplace reading than αὐτοῦ, אBL, &c.

[189] Rec. The Textus Receptus.

27. ἀληθῶς. St Luke more generally has ἐπ’ ἀληθείας, but see Luk 12:41, Luk 21:3.

αὐτοῦ. Here. See critical note. It is an adverb formed by a gen. of place like οὗ, ποῦ, &c. See note on Luk 5:19, Luk 19:4.

γεύσωνται θανάτου. In the Arabian poem, Antar, Death is represented as slaying men by handing them a cup of poison. This was a common Eastern metaphor.

τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ. St Mark (Mar 9:1) adds “coming in power.” St Matthew (Mat 16:28) says, “till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom.” It is clear that the primary reference of these words was to the three Apostles who, within a week of that time, were to witness the Transfiguration. So it seems to be understood in 2Pe 1:16, and by our Translators, who separate this verse to preface the narrative of the Transfiguration in Mar 9:1. The significance of the “kingdom” was therefore mainly spiritual, and the verse has an important bearing on the prophecies of the Second Advent (see Mat 24:14-15; Mat 24:30). It was again fulfilled at the Resurrection and Ascension; and in the person of one disciple—St John—it was fulfilled when he lived to witness the close of the Old Dispensation in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27.] See note on Matt. ver. 28.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. ἀληθῶς. With λέγεω, not with what follows. Mt. and Mk. have ἀμήν, which Lk. uses much less frequently than the others. In 12:44 and 21:3 Lk. has ἀληθῶς, others have ἀμήν. For αὐτοῦ, “here,” comp. Act 18:19; Mat 25:36. Mt. and Mk. have ὧδε.

γεύσωνται θανάτου. The expression is found in the Talmud, but not in O.T. Comp. Mat 16:28; Joh 8:52; Heb 2:9. It implies experience of the bitterness of death. Comp. ἰδεῖν θάνατον (2:26) and θάνατον θεωρεῖν (Joh 8:51). For γεύεσθαι in the sense of “experience” comp. Heb 6:4, Heb 6:5; Psa 34:9.

τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Mk. adds ἐληλυθυιῖαν ἐν δυνάμει, and Mt. substitutes τ. υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρ. ἐρχόμενον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ. The meaning is much disputed. The principal interpretations are:—1. The Transfiguration, which all three amounts closely connect with this prediction (most of the Fathers, Euthym. Theophyl. Maldon); 2. The Resurrection and Ascension (Cajetan, Calvin, Beza); 3. Pentecost and the great signs which followed it (Godet, Hahn); 4. The spread of Christianity (Nösgen); 5. The internal development of the Gospel (Erasmus, Klostermann); 6. The destruction of Jerusalem (Wetstein, Alford, Morison, Plumptre, Mansel); 7. The Second Advent (Meyer, Weiss, Holtzmann). No interpretation can be correct that does not explain εἰσίν τινες, which implies the exceptional privilege of some, as distinct from the common experience of all. This test seems to exclude all but the first and the sixth of these interpretations; and, if we must choose between these two, the sixth must be right. “Shall not taste of death until” cannot refer exclusively to an event to take place the next week.But both may be right. The Transfiguration, witnessed by only three of those present, was a foretaste of Christ’s glory both on earth and in heaven. The destruction of Jerusalem, witnessed by S. John and perhaps a few others of those present, swept away the remains of the Old Dispensation and left the Gospel in possession of the field. Only so far as the destruction of Jerusalem was a type of the end of the world is there reference to the παρουσία (see on 21:32). A direct reference to the παρουσσία is excluded by the fact that none of those present lived to witness it, except in the sense that all men will witness it. Jesus has told us that during His life on earth He was ignorant of the date of the day of judgment (Mar 13:32): and we cannot suppose that in spite of that ignorance He predicted that it was near; still less that He uttered a prediction which has not been fulfilled. Moreover, the οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως implies that the τωες will experience death after seeing the βας.τ.Θεοῦ, which would not be true of those who live to see the παρουσία (1Co 15:51).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Taste of death. The word taste, in the sense of experience, is often used in classical Greek; as, to taste of toils, of sorrow, of freedom, but never of death. The phrase, taste of death, is common in Rabbinical writings. In the New Testament only here and Heb 2:9, used of Christ. Chrysostom (cited by Alford) compares Christ to a physician who first tastes his medicines to encourage the sick to take them.

The kingdom of God. See on ch. Luk 6:20.

28 - 36. Compare Mt 17:1 - 13; Mr 9:2 - 13.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.