Matthew 10:23 – “I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

What does ‘before the Son of Man comes’ mean?

Mistaken expectation?  According to Mounce, Albert Schweitzer based his entire scheme of thoroughgoing eschatology on this verse. He held that Jesus thought that the mission of the Twelve would bring in the kingdom. He was disappointed when it did not turn out that way. Later Jesus attempted to bring in the kingdom by his own vicarious suffering. That was his final disappointment (Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, pp. 358–63).’  Even Hagner entertains the possibility that Jesus assumed that the parousia was in the near future, and that he was proved wrong.  He suggests that this view has the benefit of taking into account ‘Jesus’ full humanity and his own self-confessed ignorance about the time of his parousia (Mt 24:36).’

Post-resurrection exaltation?  Tasker (followed by Mounce) says that the verse is best understood ‘with reference to the coming of the Son of Man in triumph after His resurrection.’

Destruction of Jerusalem?  Carson (EBC) says that this verse is one of the most difficult in the entire NT.  He understands the coming of the Son of Man as ‘his coming in judgment against the Jews, culminating in the sack of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple.’  After considering a range of alternatives, Hagner decides in favour of this interpretation.  Barnes took this view also, citing Mt 24:30; Mk 13:26; Lk 21:27, 32 in support.

The end of the age?  Blomberg thinks that this is ‘a reference to the perpetually incomplete Jewish mission, in keeping with Matthew’s emphasis on Israel’s obduracy. Christ will return before his followers have fully evangelized the Jews. But they must keep at it throughout the entire church age.’  Wilkins takes a similar view.

Non-specific fulfilment?  France acknowledges that, for many readers, the idea of ‘the Son of Man coming’ would be suggestive of Christ’s Second Coming.  Referring to Dan 7:13 as the source of this and the other ‘Son of Man’ sayings (see esp. Mt 10:23; 16:27–28; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31; 26:64; 28:18), France notes that in Dan 7:13f the Son of Man ‘comes’ before God (not to earth) in order to be enthroned as king.

France further argues that this ‘coming’ does not refer to any specific historical event, but is, rather, evocative of Christ’s ‘eventual vindication and sovereign authority’.  Thus, it can refer to various stages of his exaltation, beginning with his resurrection and the generation immediately following, Mt 16:28; 24:34; 26:64; 28:18, and culminating in his parousia Mt 19:28; 25:31.

It seems less clear to France where this present saying fits into the trajectory.  His ‘best guess’ is that ‘the coming of the Son of Man’ here refers to that time when Christ’s mission is extended from the boundaries of Israel to ‘all nations’.

Prophetic foreshortening?  Hendriksen thinks that our Lord may have in view both his resurrection and his coming at the end of the age.  The two events mark the beginning and the culmination of God’s decisive intervention in human history.  Bewes (The Top 100 Questions, p256) offers this paraphrase: ‘When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for I solemnly assure you that the time is short – you won’t get through all the towns of Israel before the event of my coming in glory gets initiated.  The whole process is just about to start!’