The future-kingdom folks put stress on the statement: “They shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” But notice the change in pronouns—“ye shall see,” “they shall see.” They tell us that this coming on the clouds will be when he comes in his kingdom. They also tell us that when he thus comes the wicked dead will not see him, for they will not be raised till the end of a thousand years. But there is a hitch in that. Certainly the high priest who condemned Jesus to death belongs in the class of the wicked dead yet Jesus said to him and to the court: “Ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Notice the word _henceforth_—from now on. Notice, too that this wicked court was henceforth to see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power. No man sees him sitting with his natural eye. The word _see_ here has two objects, _sitting_ and _coming_; or, rather, the same persons shall see Jesus sitting and coming. Even a child should be able to see that the word _see_ could not here mean a mental conception as to one of its objects and an actual seeing with the eyes as to the other object. A word may have several meanings, but it cannot have two meanings at one and the same time. As some of the disciples then living were to see Jesus coming in his kingdom and the Sanhedrin were to see him sitting on the right hand of power, the Lord came in his kingdom during the lifetime of these people.
The apostles were practical men. Some were fishermen; one, a tax collector. Both callings teach a person not to believe all he hears.
MATTHEW 19:28; 25:31; LUKE 22:28-30; 1 COR. 6:2 EXPLAINED
Matthew 19:28; 25:31; Luke 22:28-30; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. Please explain—Owen W. Smith.
1. Matt. 19:28: “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Read the context. The rich young man had refused to follow Jesus. Peter said: “We have left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have?” The reply of Jesus does not mean that they had followed him in the regeneration, for Jesus had passed through no regeneration. Luke says they had followed him in his temptation. Jesus was telling his apostles what they would have in the regeneration. The regeneration is that period of time in which people are being regenerated. The other passage in which the word “regeneration” occurs shows that people are being regenerated in this dispensation. (Tit. 3:5.) But it was during this time of regeneration that Christ was to sit on the throne of his glory and the apostles were to sit on thrones. Hence, both Jesus and his apostles are now on their thrones, for all were to sit on thrones at the same time. On Pentecost, Peter declared that God had raised up Jesus to sit on David’s throne and had made him both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:30-36.) Jesus himself declared that all authority had been given to him. Those who say that he has all authority, but is not exercising it, overlook the _therefore_ in the next verse. Suppose Jesus had expressed that idea, it would have read something like this: “All authority has been given me, but I am not exercising it; and because I am not exercising it, go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations.” The command was based on his having all authority. Some have overlooked the _therefore_. As Jesus is on his throne, so are the apostles on their thrones. But how are they judging? McGarvey says on this point: