Matthew 9:3

9:3 Then ¹  some of the experts in the law ²  said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” ³ 

Matthew 27:47

27:47 When ⁴  some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

Matthew 12:38

The Sign of Jonah

12:38 Then some of the experts in the law ⁵  along with some Pharisees ⁶  answered him, ⁷  “Teacher, we want to see a sign ⁸  from you.”

Matthew 12:48

12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus ⁹  replied, ¹⁰  “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”

Matthew 28:11

The Guards’ Report

28:11 While ¹¹  they were going, some ¹²  of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.

Matthew 16:28

16:28 I tell you the truth, ¹³  there are some standing here who will not ¹⁴  experience ¹⁵  death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” ¹⁶ 

[9:3]  ¹ tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.

[9:3]  ² tn Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[9:3]  ³ sn Blaspheming meant to say something that dishonored God. To claim divine prerogatives or claim to speak for God when one really does not would be such an act of offense. The remark raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry.

[27:47]  ⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[12:38]  ⁷ tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[12:38]  ⁸ tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.

[12:38]  ⁹ tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.

[12:38]  ¹⁰ sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.

[12:48]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:48]  ¹¹ tn Grk “And answering, he said to the one who had said this.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) at the beginning of the clause has not been translated.

[28:11]  ¹³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[28:11]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “behold, some of the guard.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[16:28]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[16:28]  ¹⁷ tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.

[16:28]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).

[16:28]  ¹⁹ sn Several suggestions have been made as to the referent for the phrase the Son of Man coming in his kingdom: (1) the transfiguration itself, which immediately follows in the narrative; (2) Jesus’ resurrection and ascension; (3) the coming of the Spirit; (4) Christ’s role in the Church; (5) the destruction of Jerusalem; (6) Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of the kingdom. The reference to six days later in 17:1 seems to indicate that Matthew had the transfiguration in mind insofar as it was a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom (although this interpretation is not without its problems). As such, the transfiguration would be a tremendous confirmation to the disciples that even though Jesus had just finished speaking of his death (in vv. 21-23), he was nonetheless the promised Messiah and things were proceeding according to God’s plan.