We have a few blogs added recently that deal with a few of these references. But, an abundance of material is found in the gospels regarding His coming. Perhaps the list of these references and their comparison will help identify the time-frame of His coming.
1. Matthew 10:23 – But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
2. Matthew 16:27–28 – For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. 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.
3. Matthew 24:3 – As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?”
4. Matthew 24:27 – For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
5. Matthew 24:30 – And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.
6. Matthew 24:37 – For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
7 Matthew 24:39 – and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
8. Matthew 24:42 – Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
9. Matthew 24:44 – For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
10. Matthew 24:46 – Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
11. Matthew 25:10 – And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.
12. Matthew 25:31 – But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
13. Mark 8:38 – For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
14. Mark 13:26 – Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.
15. Mark 13:35–36 – Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.
16. Mark 14:62 – And Jesus said, “I am, and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
17. Luke 9:26 – For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
18. Luke 12:36–40 – Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready;
for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.
19. Luke 12:43 – Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
20. Luke 12:45–46 – But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men, and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
21. Luke 18:8 – I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
22. Luke 20:16 – “He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!”
23. Luke 21:27 – Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.
24. Luke 23:42 – And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”
25. John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
26. John 14:28 – You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
27. John 21:22–23 – Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Nothing in the six provides enough information to construct a belief system regarding a later coming. The evidence in favor of a return in their lifetime is strong. (1) Rather than Jesus saying that if He wants John to live over two thousand years, that’s His business, it’s more reasonable in light of all the evidence to think that Jesus’ return could still be within their lifetime. This supports the statements of Jesus predicting that some standing there would not die before seeing the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Mark 9:1 focuses on the kingdom coming with power instead of the King (“Son of Man”) coming as Matthew 16 has it. (2) The people then living were expected to see him. The rulers were told they would see Him coming in a cloud with power and great glory. He told His apostles that he would go away but will come again to them and take them back with Him. (3) When the disciples asked, “When will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 2:1), Jesus tells them in verse 34 that all those things would be fulfilled in that generation. Similarly, he says in Luke 21:36, “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Paul writes, “But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23). His return is to help them overcome as he overcame and entered His glory. But, it’s also a day of judgment for the ungodly.