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Matt 24:34 "Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Some try to claim that "This generation; i.e. the nation of the Jews shall not cease to exist, until all these things shall be accomplished: thus we see the nation of the Jews still continue, and will certainly continue to the end of the world."
Hence, "this generation" doesn't really mean "this generation" but all future generations.
Not the plain meaning of the word "this ".
But the New American Bible Revised Edition tells us:
" [24:34] The difficulty raised by this verse cannot be satisfactorily removed by the supposition that this generation means the Jewish people throughout the course of their history, much less the entire human race."
"This generation" meant Jesus' generation, not some future generation. And it did pass away before everything prophecized was done.
Matt 24:34 "Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Some try to claim that "This generation; i.e. the nation of the Jews shall not cease to exist, until all these things shall be accomplished: thus we see the nation of the Jews still continue, and will certainly continue to the end of the world."
Hence, "this generation" doesn't really mean "this generation" but all future generations.
Not the plain meaning of the word "this ".
But the New American Bible Revised Edition tells us:
" [24:34] The difficulty raised by this verse cannot be satisfactorily removed by the supposition that this generation means the Jewish people throughout the course of their history, much less the entire human race."
"This generation" meant Jesus' generation, not some future generation. And it did pass away before everything prophecized was done.
Excerpt: In Matthew 24:4-31, Jesus is speaking of future events. The generation of people living when those events occur is the generation that Jesus speaks of "not passing" until He returns. Jesus had already told those living during His earthly ministry that the kingdom had been taken from them (Matthew 21:43).
This generation obviously means the New Testament era. This is also referred to as the "last days." Revelation refers to it as the 1000 year reign of Christ. Its helpful to remember that the Bible is not specifically written for the unbeliever, but for the believer. Its very similar to the reason why Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. Jesus only reveals the deeper secrets to those who are actually part of his kingdom; the believers.
I have never studied the word generation in this chapter. I wonder if it means what it means nowadays. Or does generation mean something else for a Jew 2000 yrs ago. If you have taken the challenge to study this word, please post.
This generation actually mean ` every generation for faith ` as all Christians are all called to be prepared with olive oil , which the anointing of Holy Spirit , and it is a sin for preachers and teachers to never teach and be prepared for the end times of Jesus Coming soon ..............So every generation need to have faith and believe or the hope will be lost and apostasy in expectation of hope in Christ could become hopeless like the way of the world , which is always hopeless ............. See Jesus has come twice already , once in His birth and ministries in Judah in the Gospel reports . and again in the spirit which believers are Baptized in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and beyond being Baptized even today in the Spirit , and Jesus promised to come again in the renewal of church away from antichrist and its authority , and promised to come again at the great Judgment of the last day which Jesus is called to be the judge
Excerpt: In Matthew 24:4-31, Jesus is speaking of future events. The generation of people living when those events occur is the generation that Jesus speaks of "not passing" until He returns. Jesus had already told those living during His earthly ministry that the kingdom had been taken from them (Matthew 21:43).
No. The generation Jesus is speaking of, going by the plain meaning of words, is his generation.
Matthew 24:30-34 " Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place".
Merriam-Webster definitions:
This - : the person, thing, or idea that is present or near in place, time, or thought or that has just been mentioned [Note: "When you see..."]
Generation - : a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously
This generation obviously means the New Testament era. This is also referred to as the "last days." Revelation refers to it as the 1000 year reign of Christ. Its helpful to remember that the Bible is not specifically written for the unbeliever, but for the believer. Its very similar to the reason why Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. Jesus only reveals the deeper secrets to those who are actually part of his kingdom; the believers.
RESPONSE:
>>This generation obviously means the New Testament era.<<
No.
This generation "obviously means" this generation.
This - : the person, thing, or idea that is present or near in place, time, or thought or that has just been mentioned
Generation - : a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously.
But Matthew (or Jesus) was in error. End times did not occur in Jesus' generation.
This generation actually means every generation for faith ` as all Christians are all called to be prepared with olive oil , which the anointing of Holy Spirit , and it is a sin for preachers and teachers to never teach and be prepared for the end times of Jesus Coming soon ..............So every generation need to have faith and believe or the hope will be lost and apostasy in expectation of hope in Christ could become hopeless like the way of the world , which is always hopeless ............. See Jesus has come twice already , once in His birth and ministries in Judah in the Gospel reports . and again in the spirit which believers are Baptized in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and beyond being Baptized even today in the Spirit , and Jesus promised to come again in the renewal of church away from antichrist and its authority , and promised to come again at the great Judgment of the last day which Jesus is called to be the judge
RESPONSE:
>>This generation actually means every generation for faith <<
No. This generation means this generation just like it says.
Paul agrees:
1 Thessolonians 4:15-17 " For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever"
Both Matthew (or Jesus) or Paul were wrong. It didn't happen. There are a number of other proiphecies claiming that end times would occur in his generation.
For example Matthew 26: 63-64 "Then the high priest said to him, ‘I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah,* the Son of God.’ 64Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, "From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’
Note: But the high priest didn't see Jesus return on the clouds of heaven .
Matthew, or Jesus, was in error.
Last edited by ancient warrior; 08-10-2013 at 08:32 AM..
Reason: addition and typo
I have never studied the word generation in this chapter. I wonder if it means what it means nowadays. Or does generation mean something else for a Jew 2000 yrs ago. If you have taken the challenge to study this word, please post.
RESPONSE:
A very large number os scripture scholars have. This, from the New American Bible (2011 edition) describes generation as meaning generation:
Matthew 24:34 "Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Footnote: Matthew [24:34] The difficulty raised by this verse cannot be satisfactorily removed by the supposition that this generation means the Jewish people throughout the course of their history, much less the entire human race.
Last edited by ancient warrior; 08-10-2013 at 08:33 AM..
Reason: typo
So, your point is that when it comes down to the difference between what Christ said and meant; and your own interpretation, the only view you will accept is that Christ and the Bible must have been in error??? -
- The signs and events spoken of by Christ in Matthew 24 (as evidenced both by the related signs/events here and elsewhere in Daniel, Revelation, etc), clearly pertained to the End Time ... which has NOT yet fully come (much less in the first century). ---In a manner of speaking, one might suggest that every individual/generation essentially 'faces its own End Time.' However, to suggest that either Christ was in error ... OR that the End Time has already come, seems so contrived that it can only be dismissed as little more than another effort to agitate Christians.
Last edited by jghorton; 08-10-2013 at 09:37 AM..
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