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He came back. Many refer to this as the second coming of
Christ. But Christ still hasn’t come back. What did he mean,
“Some of you standing here will not die until you see the Son
of Man coming in His glory?”
Many commentators believe that the answer is the
transfiguration. One week after Jesus gave that promise, the
disciples – Peter, James and John – went up with Him on the
mountain. Some say that is like the second coming in a picture
because Christ is in the middle and the three disciples,
representing the Jews, are there and the world is at the base and
He’s being glorified. So, they say that maybe that is what He
meant.
I’m going to let Matthew tell the story, Matthew 17:1-
8, “And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and
John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by
themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face
shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with
Him. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good
for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles
here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While
he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed
them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My
beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!’
And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and
were much afraid. And Jesus came to them and touched them
and said, ‘Arise, and do not be afraid.’ And lifting up their eyes,
they saw no one, except Jesus Himself alone.”
Mark tells pretty much the same story, only he makes
this addition in Mark 9:3, “And His garments became radiant
and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten
them.” Even His garments were radiant. Matthew, Mark and
Luke tell us that Jesus went on the mountain but only Luke tells
us why. Luke 9:28, “And some eight days after these sayings,
it came about that He took along Peter and John and James, and
went up to the mountain to pray.” He went up to pray.

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