The Son of man is identified with “the Christ” (Messiah) of verse 23. Neither here nor in 16.20 does Jesus deny that he is the Messiah, but in both passages he specifically reinterprets the title in light of the Son of Man figure (see 16.21-28). This same reinterpretation is made during the course of the trial. To the question of the High Priest, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (26.63), Jesus answers, “You will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (26.64). For a discussion of Son of man, see 8.20.

For as lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west appears in a slightly different form in Luke (see 17.24). Two emphases are made: the coming of the Son of Man will be a universal event to be witnessed by everyone, and it will take place suddenly.

The translation of the coming of the Son of man can be something of a problem. In some languages it is necessary to say from where he will come, and sometimes where he will come to as well. One way to solve this is to say “will come from heaven (or, from the skies),” and another is to say “come to the world.” An alternative is to say “will appear.”

Note how Good News Translation has restructured the verse. Another possibility is “For when the Son of Man comes, it will be just like the lightning that flashes across the whole sky.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .