'Some still living' disproves literal truth of the bible

In Matthew 16:27-28, Jesus says (ESV) :-

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For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

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If the bible is inerrant, then Jesus said this. Not only that, but if Jesus said this, it must be true, by the divine nature of Jesus.This is impossible to reconcile with reality. If taken literally, the implication is that some of Jesus' audience are still alive today OR that Jesus has already come again, neither of which are true.This is a challenge to a literal interpretation of the bible. How do those who believe the bible is inerrant respond to this?Edited by Peepul, : No reason given.Edited by Peepul, : to improve opening post

amended - please review and let me have your feedback

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How do you know that some of the 'some of you standing here' that Jesus was talking to are not dead?

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Well they haven't sold their story to Hello - that's pretty good evidence.Edited by Peepul, : No reason given.

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It was fulfilled, in part, in the experience of the apostle John who saw the kingdom come in Revelation. Some of the other disciples got a glimpse of it also. Check out Pauls words in II Corinthians 12:2. The 'man in Christ above 14 years ago' was actually himself. But even if one doesn't take that as Paul himself, whoever it was saw the kingdom.

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Thanks Calypsis. I've read that passage and found it interesting.It seems to me that John and Paul (or someone else) had a 'preview' of the kingdom, but that Jesus is talking about the arrival of the kingdom in real time, on earth, for everbody.This is clear from the linking of the two sentences in the quote I gave above.The first sentence is about the real arrival of the kingdom For your interpretation to be true, the second sentence must then not be referring to this real arrival, but to the 'previews'. But read the two together and it's clear that they are linked.

Thanks ICANT for your very interesting reply. You're right, i am not a biblical scholar in any sense.However, I take issue with one part of your reply, an important one

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When did this take place? Within a couple of weeks of the announcment.

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That doesn't make sense if we consider Jesus' words.

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There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

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Why would Jesus say that if the fulfilment was going to be within a couple of weeks?

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[Jesus said,] For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
(Matthew 24:27, 30-34)

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Gragbarder, you are quite right to quote this. It reinforces the sense of my original quote. It is actually more explicit than my original quote!Later on there is also this in Matthew :-

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Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

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But nothing has happened for 2000 years. Generations of people have been told to keep watch but Christ has not appeared. Generations of people have been misled into thinking Christ could come in their time.

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29 "Immediately after the distress of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, , and the heavenly bodies will be shaken"

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First of all, the vv. 28-29 absolutely are talking about the crucifixion, which you left out, and they absolutely did happen.

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Hi DPowell,you can't possibly be correct. The stars have not fallen from the sky, nor have the heavenly bodies been 'shaken'. These things absolutely did not happen.it's also not right to separate the timing of v28-29 from v 30-33. You can see that because verse 30 starts 'at that time' - this is clearly happening at the same time as v28-29.Are you saying that we should interpret 'coming' as 'going'? If so, doesn't that undermine the whole concept of the second coming?

[quote]Your tag team partner says 90 AD is a good year to stand for the termination of "this generation" in Matthew 24:34.[quote] Jaywill, whatever date any one comes up with for the chronological generation concept, is it possible to defend the view that 1st Century folk and those of us alive today are part of the same moral generation?

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If "YOU" represents "this generation" in this sentence - "Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon THIS GENERATION" that proves that Jesus could use the phrase "THIS GENERATION" to indicate a moral solidarity with people that goes over chronological boundaries.

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Man, that is so feeble.