Correspondence: 1 John 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:11; Matt. 16:28

From: Young Christian: Volume 8, 1918

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Matthew 16:28 • 3 min. read • grade level: 6

Question: What does “an Unction” mean? (1 John 2:20²⁰But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)). N. C. D.

Answer: Unction is the same word as anointing. (27th verse). The Lord Jesus as a man was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. (Acts 4:27; 10:38²⁷For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (Acts 4:27)
³⁸How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Acts 10:38); Heb. 1:9⁹Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9); Matt. 3:16¹⁶And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16)). Believers, as redeemed by the blood, of Christ, are given the Holy Spirit, and are thus anointed, sealed, and have the earnest of the Spirit in their hearts. (2 Cor. 1:21, 22²¹Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; ²²Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:21‑22)). He is our power for worship, and service, and for discerning the truth. He is our teacher, and puts us on our guard to receive nothing but what honors the person and work of Christ.

Question: 1 Peter 2:11¹¹Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11). C. W.

Answer: The Old Testament saints were strangers and sojourners with God. Ever since sin came in, this world was only the temporary abode of God’s people. (Gen. 23:4⁴I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. (Genesis 23:4); Heb. 11:13¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13); Lev. 25:23²³The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. (Leviticus 25:23); 1 Chron. 29:15¹⁵For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. (1 Chronicles 29:15); Psa. 35:12¹²They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. (Psalm 35:12)).

Now in a more definite way these converted Jews to whom Peter wrote were strangers and pilgrims or sojourners, scattered out of Palestine because of the nation’s sins. This epistle tells them of new heavenly blessing with a risen Christ, and taught them to look forward to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for them in heaven, and they kept by faith for it, and now waiting for the salvation to be revealed in the last time. In this verse they are warned to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and showing to us by this the danger of settling down in a world like this. We need to keep our eye on Christ in glory to endure what we have to pass through. (See also 2 Cor. 4:17¹⁷For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2 Corinthians 4:17). and L. F. Hymn Bk. 139).

Question: Who is the Lord referring to when He says, “There be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom? (Matt. 16:28²⁸Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:28)).

S. F. W.

Answer: The Lord speaks of Peter, James, and John, whom He selected to accompany Him into an high mountain apart where He was transfigured before them. This scene is a sample of the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom, or as in Mark 9:1¹And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. (Mark 9:1). “The Kingdom of God come with power.”

In it we see the heavenly saints represented by Moses who died and was buried, and Elias who was ruptured to heaven without dying. And there we see the Lord Jesus in His glory. In Peter, James, and John, we see the earthly saints represented.

This gave the disciples to know who was there manifested in His glory. 2 Peter 1:16¹⁶For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16) reads, “For we have riot followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, ‘This is, My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him on the holy mount.” This to their minds made the prophetic word surer.

It was but a foreshadowing of the Kingdom, but the King was there in His real personal glory.

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