Luke

9:18-27

The mission of the Messiah, 1:5-9:50

6. The children of the Messiah, 9:1-50

iii] The meaning of Peter's confession

Jesus, while in a private place, asks his disciples if they know who he really is, not just who the crowds think he is, but who do they think he is. Peter replies on behalf of the disciples that he believes that Jesus is the messiah. Jesus then speaks to his disciples about the nature of cross-bearing discipleship.

In the dawning age of the kingdom, the wilderness journey of messiah's children is a way of substitutionary suffering and death.

i] Context: See 9:1-9. The meaning of Peter's confession is the third episode of The dawning of the kingdom in the children of the messiah, 9:1 to 9:50. The imagery of the opening episodes takes us back to the Exodus story. As Moses is sent to call the people of Israel out of Egypt, so Jesus sends out his apostles to call out a people for God, 9:1-9. As God fed Israel in the wilderness, so Christ feeds the five thousand, 9:10-17. As the wilderness is the way of suffering, so Christ must suffer, 9:18-27.

ii] Background: Cross-bearing discipleship.

When it comes to interpretation, the idea of cross-bearing is problematic, yet it is firmly fixed in the synoptic tradition. Whenever Jesus speaks of his suffering he goes on to speak about discipleship. The literal application of Jesus' discipleship-demands is next to impossible (although Francis did give it a go!). Commentators either record the impossible, and hope that no one ever asks them to live it out, or they get into reductionism and end up with a pale imitation of cross-bearing. So, how do we handle our Lord's call to cross-bearing discipleship?

It is likely that there are two aspects to cross-bearing - identification and imitation. Not quite, but similar to an IS and an AUGHT - the classic indicative / imperative equation which prompts the statement, "be what you are."

In the terms of identification, Jesus is speaking of union with himself, the glorious, but suffering, messiah. Cross-bearing is a visual expression of faith, a saying No to oneself, with regard eternal verities, and a Yes to Christ. Jesus' demand for denial of self is a call for a faith-dependence on Jesus, the suffering servant, and his sacrifice for our salvation. Our act of commitment involves taking up our cross and following Jesus, a humiliated messiah, a cross which Jesus provides (his sacrifice on our behalf), a yoke that is easy, a burden that is light.

In the terms of imitation - the fruit of identification - Jesus uses hyperbolic language in his rhetoric to present utopian ideals which, although beyond the means of flawed humanity, set clear aims for discipleship. We will always fall short of Jesus' discipleship ideals, but they serve to guide us through the tangled maze of life. Our inevitable falling short of these ideals is not designed to promote guilt, but serves to remind us of the grace that is ours in Jesus - we stand approved before God in Jesus' perfect cross-bearing, not our own.

So, by identification with Christ's cross-bearing, not only do we find cariV, "a grace" of divine approval, a righteousness in Christ apart from ourselves, but we also find in him cariV, "a grace" for kingdom service, albeit always compromised.

The Didache, likely composed at the end of the first century, comes close to capturing the sense of our ethical dilemma with the words "If you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect, but if you are not able to do this, do what you are able." Given that we are not able, let us do what we are able.

Although both identification and imitation can be present in Jesus' instructions on discipleship, the context will tend to determine if either, or both ideas, are present. Sometimes the problem is which idea! See The Meaning of Greatness, 9:46-50.

iii] Structure: The meaning of Peter's confession:

iv] Interpretation:

v] Synoptics:

vi] Exposition: A simple exposition of this passage may be found in the linked pew-level Sermon Notes.

Peter's recognition of Christ and its consequences, v18-27: i] Question / answer, v18-19. Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke doesn't locate this episode at Caesarea Philippi - he probably wants to relate the incident to the feeding of the 5,000. After praying alone, Jesus returns to the disciples (and the crowd???). Jesus' question of the disciples seeks to draw out their understanding of his person. The crowds have their opinions, but what do the disciples believe?

kai egeneto "once" - it came about, it happened. The verb is used with kai to introduce a new episode; See egeneto, 1:8.

en tw/ einai proseucomenon (proseucomai) pres. part. "when Jesus was praying" - in the to be praying. The infinitive of the verb "to be" with the participle "praying" forms a paraphrastic present construction, possibly emphasising durative aspect. The preposition en with the articular infinitive introduces a temporal clause, contemporaneous time, "while", as NIV. "Jesus", auton, "he", serves as the accusative subject of the infinitive. "While Jesus was praying."

kata monaV prep + acc. "alone" - according to alone. Idiomatic construction; "by himself", "alone", BAGD.

sunhsan (suneimi) imperf + dat. "were with" - [the disciples] were with. Used of being with someone or something, or sometimes of movement together with someone or something. Jesus has moved away from the frenzied feeding of the 5,000 and is now with his disciples, but apart, praying by himself.

autw/ dat. pro. "him" - him. dative of direct object after a sun prefix verb.

legwn (legw) pres. part. "[he asked them]" - [and he asked them] saying. Attendant circumstance participle, redundant, Semitic idiom introducing direct speech; see legwn, 4:35.

ei\nai inf. "I am" - [whom the crowds say me] to be? The infinitive, with its accusative subject, me, "me / I", forms an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what people are legousin, "saying" = "asking". They are asking "who is he? / what is he?" Marshal argues that they are asking "what role does he fulfil", rather than wanting to know who he is. "In the opinion of the people we have ministered to in the last year or so, who do they say I am? / what role do they say I am performing?"

oiJ de "They" - but/and they. Transitional, indicating a step in the narrative, here to a change in subject from Jesus to the disciples.

apokriqenteV (apokrinomai) aor. pas. part. "replied" - having answered [said]. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "they said", semi-redundant Semitism.

alloi de "others say" - [some say john the baptist] but/and others [say elijah, but/and others say] A coordinate construction. Gk. short-talk / semantic density; "some say you to be John the Baptist = some say that you are John the Baptist (ie. an assumed recitative infinitive ei\nai) ..... alloi others say that you are ......" The grammar may imply that the majority say John the Baptist, but some others say .... Note that "the Baptist" stands in apposition to "John."

oJti "that" - that. Introducing a dependent statement, indirect speech, expressing what the others say, legousin, "say", is again implied.

twn arcaiwn gen. adj. "of long ago" - [a certain prophet] of the ancients [rose again]. The adjective serves as a substantive, while the genitive is probably ablative, expressing source / origin; "from of old." Mark has "one of the prophets." There is some truth in the fact that Christ is an Elijah / prophet type, but the question is, do the disciples see beyond this limited understanding of Christ's person.

ii] Peter's confession, v20: Peter, speaking on behalf of the disciples, states that Jesus is the messiah, the Christ, the long-promised saviour of God's people.

autoiV dat. pro"-" - [he said] to them [what about you]. Dative of indirect object. Note the emphatic position of uJmeiV, "you".

ei\nai pres. inf. "[who do you say] I am" - [whom do you say me] to be? The infinitive introduces a dependent statement of indirect speech - see ei\nai v18; "whom do you say that I am?"

aporkiqeiV (apokrinomai) aor. pas. part. "answered" - having answered [peter said]. See apokriqenteV v19.

ton criston "the Christ" - you are the christ. Jesus is "God's messiah", God's Davidic deliverer, but as we will see, Jesus' messianic credentials are defined by the prophet Isaiah. Christ's messiahship is expressed more as a suffering servant than a king. It is this function of Jesus' messiahship that Peter and the disciples have yet to understand. It is interesting to note that Luke will not use the title "Christ" again until Jesus' trial and crucifixion.

tou qeou (oV) "of God" - of god. The genitive is ablative, expressing source / origin; "from God." Mark simply has "Christ".

iii] The messianic secret, v21. Numerous reasons are given for the "messianic secret", the most common being the necessity to limit popular messianic expectations and the inevitable reaction this would provoke from the authorities. Added to this, there is the likelihood that Jesus refrains from open disclosure so as to draw out the genuine seeker - those with eyes to see (a similar function operates with kingdom parables). Only those who recognise Jesus as messiah have the right to know the secret that he is the suffering servant, the benefits of whose sacrificial death can only be appropriated by faith.

oJ de "Jesus" - but/and he. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from Peter to Jesus.

epitimhsaV (epitimaw) aor. part. "strictly warned" - having warned, rebuked. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "gave orders", so, "he warned them and commanded that they tell no one." Luke does use this verb in the sense of "rebuked", giving the sense here "rebuked and commanded", so producing a hendiadys "he forbade them strictly", Moffatt, as NIV; "He gave them strict orders", NEB. Yet, in the context, "warned" seems more likely (Marshall suggests "to charge, speak seriously"), ie., Jesus warned his disciples of the unforeseen consequences that may flow if it is publicly made known that he is the Christ / messiah at this point in his ministry; "Jesus warned them to keep it quiet", Peterson.

autoiV dat. pro. "them" - them, [he commanded, gave orders]. dative of direct object after the epi prefix verb "to warn."

legein (legw) pres. inf. "[not] to tell" - to say [to no one]. The infinitive introduces a dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Jesus commanded his disciples; "that they tell no one." Mark uses a hina clause - a small piece of evidence indicating that both Luke and Mark may be working off their own independent oral tradition. The indefinite substantive adjective mhdeni, "no one", serves as a dative of indirect object.

touto pro. "this" - this. Accusative direct object of the infinitive "to say." What is the "this" that the disciples must not "tell"? Is it Christ's claim to messiahship, or the suffering servant nature of his messiahship, or both? Jesus is often less than frank about his messiahship and its atoning work.

iv] The Son of Man must suffer, v22: Jesus goes on to tell his disciples that he must suffer, die, "and on the third day be raised." Jesus, representing God's people, must travel the way of judgement, suffering and death - he is the suffering servant of Israel, cf., Isaiah 53. The way of the cross is similar to the way of the wilderness. In the wilderness the people of Israel rebelled against God and so died in the desert. The suffering servant must also make his wilderness journey, but unlike Israel of old, he will not fail the test. And so it is that the children of God, in hand with Christ, are enabled to enter the promised land.

eipwn (oJraw) aor. part. "and he said" - saying. The function of the participle is unclear. Mark has "and he began to teach them that (oJti)", and in the second prediction of his death, Mark has "he was teaching his disciples and was saying (elegen) to them that (oJti)". So, we may well have an ellipsis here, one that has developed during oral transmission, or possibly a Lukan example of semantic density. If this is the case, then the participle is best treated as attendant on an assumed verb of speech, "Then he addressed them saying = and said .......", but see oJti below. "He went on, ' It is necessary .....'", Peterson.

oJti - that. It seems very likely that the conjunction is used here to introduce direct speech, ie., it is recitative. None-the-less, eipwn, "saying", as a redundant attendant participle, may serve that function, "he warned .... and commanded ..... saying", with oJti being causal, explaining why it is best not to make it publicly known that Jesus is the messiah, "because" he is a suffering messiah / the suffering servant, ie., v22 may serve as an explanation of the injunction "tell this to no one." At this point in time, a suffering messiah would be confusing, and not easily understood by the populous at large.

tou anqrwpou (oV) gen. "the Son of Man" - [it is necessary the son] of man. The genitive is adjectival, relational, limiting "Son". Jesus happily uses this messianic title with the crowds. Jesus is Daniel's Son of Man, the one who possesses divine authority to reign, a messiah who is Davidic in nature. The special information for the disciples in this verse is that the Son of Man serves as the Suffering Servant; see oJ uiJoV tou anqrwpou, 5:24.

paqein (pascw) aor. inf. "suffer" - to suffer. The infinitive serves as the subject of the impersonal verb dei, "is necessary", along with the other infinitives, "to be rejected", "to be killed" and "to be raised"; "To suffer ..... is necessary for the Son of Man", although note that this classification is contested; see grayai, 1:3. Here the verb dei, "it is necessary", implies divine necessity. The focus is necessarily on the cross, but includes the wider rejection of Christ's ministry.

polla (polluV) neut. adj. "many things" - much, many. May be rendered as an adverb, "greatly".

apo + gen. "by" - [and to be rejected] from [the elders and chief priests and scribes]. An example of the rare usage of this preposition to express agency, "by" (often with a passive verb, so Culy), instead of the more common preposition expressing agency, namely, uJpo; "at / by the hands of." The list of those who do the rejecting covers the members of the Sanhedrin.

th/ trith/ hJmera/ "on the third day" - [and to be killed and] on the third day. The dative is adverbial, of time. A more accurate statement than Mark's "after three days."

egerqhnai (egairw) pas. inf. "be raised to life" - to be raised. The infinitive, as above. The passive indicates the divine act of raising (a theological passive). The authorities may condemn, but God vindicates his chosen one.

v] A condition of discipleship - to gain life a disciple must give away their life to Christ, v23-26: Jesus calls on his disciples to follow him into the wilderness. The disciples are, as it were, to leave Egypt, its security and plenty, and join with Jesus on the dusty road to the promised land. Jesus calls on those who would follow him to take up their cross, in the sense of daily give allegiance to him / believe in him, and his journey of shame. So, Jesus calls for identification with him / allegiance to him / faith in him. Only Christ's self-denial has any eternal value, ours is flawed, compromised, "filthy rags." Is the seeker willing to accept the shame of following a crucified messiah? The promise land is theirs, or better we say, eternal life is theirs through faith in Christ, the rejected and suffering one.

The gospel tradition has coalesced a set of independent sayings of Jesus under a common theme. These sayings were probably used originally in a range of different settings. Some of the sayings are repeated throughout the gospels in isolation, eg., 14:27, 17:33, ... Luke has sharpened this collection of independent sayings, and as with Matthew and Mark, rounds them off with a punch-line saying in v27.

a) A saying on cross-bearing, v23. The first saying is usually understood to mean self-denial, setting aside the enjoyment of life for the greater cause of following Christ. Self-denial "mandates a rejection of life based on self-interest and self-fulfilment", while cross-bearing calls "for a commitment unto death .... a willingness to suffer martyrdom if need be", Stein. Yet, although imitation sets before us an utopian ideal that gives direction to our life, Jesus is primarily calling for identification, identification with a glorious, but suffering messiah. Constantine Campbell in his work on Verbal Aspect argues that an aorist imperative denotes "a specific agent performing an action within a specific situation", see Culy 311. The verbs "must deny" and "take up" are aorists while "follow me" is a durative present. The aspect chosen for these verbs supports the idea that denying self and taking up one's cross represents an act of decision, while following Christ represents a living out of that decision. The acts of decision (denying and taking up) and of following, involve believing in the lowly crucified one, rather than focusing on our own self-sacrifice. Luke's addition of "daily", reinforcing "following", indicates that Jesus' words "have an abiding existential significance. One still may go to Jerusalem, and there, in corporate identification, be crucified with Christ", Ellis. The act of believing in the suffering Son of Man, and living out that faith, is a day-by-day affair.

elegon (legw) imperf. "he said" - he was saying. The imperfect is durative, often used for speech.

pantaV "them all" - [toward] all. The "all" is unclear. Mark has Jesus including the crowd with the disciples for these words, but Matthew limits them to the disciples, whereas Luke's "all" is undefined. Jesus was praying privately by himself, and he was "with his disciples", but Luke's "all" is unlikely "all disciples." Clearly, the audience Jesus is now addressing has been enlarged, so possibly the "all" are those who have responded to Jesus' teaching / preaching.

ei tiV + ind. "if anyone [would] / whoever [wants]" - if anyone [wills, wants, wishes]. Introducing a relative conditional clause 1st. class where the stated condition is assumed to be true; "if, as is the case, ..... then ....." The NIV "would" is a bit weak, the NRSV "if any want" is closer to the Greek and conveys a more decisive desire to follow.

ercesqai (ercomai) pres. inf. "come [after me] / to be [my disciple]" - to come [after me]. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb qelei, "wills, wishes". The sense is "if anyone wants to be my disciple", as TNIV.

arnhsasqw (arneomai) aor. imp. "he must deny" - let deny [himself]. Thompson notes that in translation, the intention of the command is best expressed with "he must", as NASB, rather than "let him", ESV, which often carries a permissive sense to the reader; "He must once and for all say No to himself", Barclay.

aratw (airw) aor. imp. "take up" - [and] let lift up [the cross of him]. Usually understood to mean associating with the sufferings of Christ through self-denial, even to a willing acceptance of persecution. Yet, as indicated above, it is more likely to mean that the one who wills to follow Christ must die to self and sin by identification with Christ in his sufferings on our behalf, ie., cross-bearing is a symbol of allegiance to a cause, rather than self-denial / self-sacrifice. Palestinians were well aware of the Roman method of dealing with rebels to a cause, insurgents, terrorists (freedom-fighters???). Taken in its historical context, it is highly unlikely that the image of cross-bearing references Jesus' own crucifixion.

kaq hJmeran "daily" - according to the day. Distributive use of the preposition kata; "day by day / day after day." Luke's addition of the phrase "day by day" to Mark's "take up their (his) cross", does not sit well with the punctiliar aorist "take up." It is probably a positional issue such that "day by day" is intended to go with "follow me" (possibly all three imperatives???). Turner, contra Metzger, argues that it is likely that this phrase, commonly used by Luke, is not original here - it is omitted from a number of important manuscripts. Luke's point seems to be that faith in the suffering Son of Man involves an ongoing commitment. This issue is theologically contested (once saved always saved!!!).

akolouqeitw (akolouqew) pres. imp. "follow" - [and] let follow. Unlike the other imperatives in this verse, being aorist, this imperative takes a durative present tense expressing ongoing action. This is particularly apt if Luke intended "daily" to go with "follow me."

moi dat. pro. "me" - me. dative of direct object after the verb "follow".

b) A saying on saving one's life, v24. The person who saves their life stands opposed to the person who takes up their cross. The person who takes up their cross is the one who identifies with the crucified-one - they trust in the suffering servant's redemptive work. Such a person loses their life in their loyalty to the person and work of Jesus, and as a consequence, gains life eternal. The loss of their life entails the setting aside of any claim to righteousness on the basis of race, religious pedigree, or law-obedience. "The one who trusts God, who gives life and saves through death, gains for his life freedom and eternity", Grundmann.

gar "for" - for. Transitional connective. This conjunction is often used as a coordinating link between independent sayings. As it usually indicates cause / reason, it is particularly apt, in that each saying further explains the pivotal theme - here in the terms of dependence on Jesus alone.

o}V an + subj. "whoever" - who if = whoever. Introducing the first of two indefinite relative clauses, both of which are conditional.

qelh/ (qelw) pres. "would" - wishes, wills. Here an intent backed up with action. If I think that I can gain eternity on the basis of my own goodness etc., then I am lost. On the other hand, if I abandon any dependence on my self-righteousness and look to the righteousness of the crucified one, then I will find life eternal.

swsai (swzw) aor. inf. "to save" - to save, preserve, keep. The infinitive may be classified as complementary, completing the sense of the verb "would", or as introducing an object clause / dependent statement of perception expressing what the person "wants".

yuchn (h) acc. "life" - the life [of him will destroy / lose it]. Accusative direct object of the verb "to save." The Greeks used the word for the "soul", the spiritual element that separates from the body at death. The Jews had no such idea, and used the word of a person's life force, their breath, their being as a God-breathed creation with the potential for immortality. The word "life" today carries the sense of mere existence, and that is certainly not the intended sense here. "Soul" may express the word better, but in common thought today, "soul" is understood in Platonic terms, terms which inevitably work against the Biblical notion of the self as a unified whole. Something like "authentic self" may express the intended sense better; "your true self", Peterson.

eneken + gen. "for [me]" - [but/and whoever loses the life of him] because of, for the sake of / on account of [me, this one will save it]. Causal. Definitely not "for the benefit of me", but rather "for my sake", ie. because of loyalty to me.

c) A saying on the vanity of gaining the whole world, v25. Understandably, commentators have generally understood these words in terms of the gaining of riches. On the surface, at least, v25 does seem to reinforce the interpretation that cross-bearing is all about self-denial, with respect to the things of this world. "Looking to one's own well-being and security in the world turns out not to be so important after all. Jesus' call to self-denial leads to life; the accumulation of the good things of this world cannot secure us against its loss", Nolland. Very true, but is this the self-denial Jesus calls for? Interestingly, Luke drops Mark 8:37, "for what can a person give in return for their life ....", and moves directly to the next saying "if anyone is ashamed .......", again, with the connective gar, "for". So, Luke has actually reduced the possibility of a literal interpretation, and this surely to encourage a figurative interpretation. The next saying brings out this figurative meaning. Gaining the world is not about possessing possessions, but about possessing a self-righteousness through race, religious purity and / or law-obedience - an acceptable religiosity. Those who are lost to the world are not those who imitate Christ, but those who identify with Christ; they are those who accept the shame of following the person and teachings of a crucified messiah.

gar"-" - for. Transitional connective; see gar v24.

wfeleitai (wfelw) pres. pas. "[what] good" - [what] profits / benefits [a man]. "In what respect is a person benefited". The words illustrate a profit loss situation.

kerdhsaV (kerdainw) act. part. "to gain" - having gained [the whole world]. The participle, as for "having lost", is adverbial, modifying "profits", probably conditional, "if he gains", or instrumental, expressing means, "by gaining."

de "and yet" - but/and [having lost, ruined]. Transitional, here indicating a step to a contrasting point.

zhmiwqeiV (zhmiow) aor. mid./pas. part. "forfeit" - [or] having forfeited [himself]. The participle is adverbial, probably conditional, or instrumental, as above. Culy suggests that it is likely to be middle rather than passive; "causes his own destruction." "Should someone gain the whole wold, yet suffer loss of his true self, surrendering it as a forfeit, what advantage will he reap from that?" Cassirer.

d) A saying on the consequences of being ashamed of Christ and his words, v26. What we have here is an unidentified pressure which prompts shame and so causes a seeker / believer to shrink from their reliance on the person and words of Jesus, and as a consequence, disown him. If we are embarrassed to identify with the rejected suffering servant for our salvation, then when he comes in his glory, he will be embarrassed with us, and have nothing to do with us.

gar "-" - for. Transitional connective; see gar v24.

o}V ... an + subj. "if" - if who = whoever [is ashamed of me and my words then]. Introducing an indefinite relative clause, which, in the present context, is conditional. The shame in mind is the shame of disgrace. The "words" = the teachings.

tou anqrwpou (oV) gen. "of man" - [the son] of man. The genitive is adjectival, relational. For "Son of Man" see oJ uiJoVtou anqrwpou, 5:24.

touton acc. pro. "[will be ashamed] of him" - [will be ashamed of] this one. Emphatic by position.

oJtan + aor. subj. "when [he comes]" - when [he comes]. This construction introduces an indefinite temporal clause, often used to express a singular event of unknown time, so "when", as NIV, rather than "whenever". A reference to the coming Son of Man, Dan.7:13, the one who comes with his angels into the presence of the Ancient of Days, to receive dominion and power -rule. He is the one we must stand before on that dreadful day. Note that the "coming", assuming that this is an allusion to Daniel 7:13, is a coming into heaven, and not a coming to earth. From Daniel's perspective, the angels (messengers) are those who come with the Son of Man into the throne-room of the Ancient of Days, and as such, may well be an indirect reference to the saints, believers - a reality which, for us, is both now and not yet. Most commentators take this "coming" as a coming to earth, and that the "holy angels" are God's holy angels, not Jesus' "holy messengers" = the saints, believers.

en th/ doxh/ (a) "in" - in. This prepositional phrase is probably adverbial, modal, expressing manner; "surrounded by, clothed In glory." In Mark, glory belongs to the Father, but here it belongs to the Son as well as the Father and also to the angels, all of whom add to the glory associated with Jesus' coming.

autou gen. pro. "his" - [the glory] of him [and of the father and of the holy angels]. The genitive is adjectival, possessive (the glory possessed by Jesus and the Father and the angels), or verbal, subjective (the glory radiated from Jesus and the Father and the angels).

iv] A saying on the coming kingdom, v27: Unlike those who are ashamed of Jesus person and words, and so face rejection on the day of judgment, there will always be those who take up the opportunity to identify with Jesus, be "crucified with Christ", by grace through faith, cf., Gal.2:20. In Christ, they will participate in the new age of the kingdom long before they taste death - no day of judgment for them! See "Interpretation" above.

de - but/and. Transitional, indicating a step to a contrasting point. Mark uses a coordinating kai here, reinforcing the link between this and the previous saying. Those who are ashamed are now contrasted with the faithful, those who will participate in the dawning of the new age of the kingdom.

uJmin dat. pro. "[I tell] you [the truth]" - i say truly to you. The dative uJmin is a dative of indirect object. This phrase serves to underline the following statement.

twn ... esthkotwn (iJsthmi) gen. perf. part. "who are standing" - [certain, some] of the ones having stood. The participle serves as a substantive, the genitive being adjectival, partitive, limiting "some". Referring to those who are committed to Jesus; "I tell you honestly, some of you who are present here with me today ..."

autou gen. pro. "here" - here. The pronoun is being used here as an adverb of place. We would expect w|de and in some manuscripts scribes have made the adjustment.

ou mh + subj. "not" - not not = never, not in any way, by no means, certainly not. A subjunctive of emphatic negation.

gouswntai (gouomai) aor. sub. " will [not] taste" - may taste. Used in the sense of "experience".

qanatou (oV) gen. "death" - of death. A genitive of direct object after the negated verb "will [not] taste" / adjectival, partitive. Some of those presently with Jesus will "see" the kingdom "before" they die.

eJwV an + subj. "before" - until / before [they see]. This construction introduces an indefinite temporal clause expressing future time in relation to the main verb - a time up to which = "before".

tou qeou (oV) gen. "of God" - [the kingdom] of god. The genitive is possibly adjectival, possessive, "the kingdom that belongs to God", or ablative, source, "the kingdom that comes from God", or verbal, subjective, "the rule exercised by God"; See tou qeou, 4:43. "See with their own eyes the kingdom of God", Peterson.

Luke Introduction

Exposition

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Exegetical Commentaries

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