The Transfiguration Revisited

[Jah is Light]

Hi MoGrace2U,

Do you believe the kingdom of God comes into physicality?

Jah is Light

[stormcrow]

(Matthew 16:28 NASB) "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."


Preterists believe that this statement of Jesus can not refer to the transfiguration, which takes place six (or eight-Luke) days later because of the following reasons:

Read more: livebytr.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=prophecy&action=display&thread=544#ixzz1V5ZkCNMQ

Actually, there's a simpler reason why this verse does not refer to the Transfiguration and it's found here:

{64} Jesus *said to him [Caiaphas], "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." Matthew 26:64 (NASB)

Jesus told Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin at His trial virtually the same thing He told the disciples in Matthew 16:27-28. But His trial before the Sanhedrin came AFTER the Transfiguration.

Therefore, neither of these passages can be referring to the Transfiguration.

[Morris]

Very good observation, Stormcrow.

[stormcrow]

May 13, 2011 4:48:17 GMT -5 Jah is Light said:

Hi MoGrace2U,

Do you believe the kingdom of God comes into physicality?

Jah is Light

Here's what I wrote about this on another board in response to this:

The kingdom is already here - this is clearly and repeatedly attested to in the New Testament. Those who claim that it is only here in a "spiritual" sense are inventing a "spirit vs material" distinction that is nowhere supported in the Scriptures.

www.christianforums.net/f20/gods-kingdom-earth-37230/index5.html#post566175

{6} "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 (NASB)

Christ Himself makes that distinction.

{50} Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NASB)

The error that the Gnostics made was that all flesh was evil and that only the spirit was good, thus leading to ridiculous ideas such as self-flagellation and mutilation as signs of holiness and spiritual purity.

Paul correctly observed that our bodies are "temples" of the Holy Spirit and we must not, therefore, abuse them.

It is not, therefore, wrong to see the kingdom of heaven as spiritual. It is wrong to suggest that our current bodies are not vessels of it.

www.christianforums.net/f20/gods-kingdom-earth-37230/index6.html#post566222

{20} Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; {21} nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21 (NKJV)