Did Jesus lie to his Disiples?

Question

(Mat 24:3 NRSV) When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

(Mat 24:27 NRSV) For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

(Mat 24:30 NRSV) 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.

(Mat 24:34 NRSV) Truly I tell you, *this generation will not pass away* until all these things have taken place.


So the second coming was supposed to occur during the life time of his disiples.. why are Christians still waiting??
Did Jesus lie to his followers?

Answer 1

You are the cunning one, aren't you Judas? You left our a couple of verses there, but then, you know that already, don't you?
Still betraying Jesus, Judas?

Answer 2

What a great question! First let's take a look at the texts deeper.

1. WHEN IS THE SECOND COMING?

"14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

This lays out when the end of the world / second coming will happen. When the gospel is preached throughout the world. The Gospel Commission also identifies it as preaching to nations (not countries but all the tribes). Most Christian churches have narrowed the percentage to about 98-99% of the world as covered. The last 1% are countries like Laos, Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc. It's like sprinting a lap, the hardest part is the last one.

2. WHAT IS THE "GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY" IDEA?

Two events are being described in this chapter, one applies to the current disciples and another for future disciples.

15"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,'[b] spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

34I tell you the truth, this generation[e] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

The abomination that causes desolation is the power that changes laws. A power that states they are God but yet they are only human. Read Daniel on this to better understand the features of the abomination that causes desolation.

At any rate, one generation after Jesus spoke this message (40 years = one generation), a powerful kingdom entered Jerusalem and its temple and destroyed it. And guess who it was? None other than Rome. Look it up on the history books, Jerusalem was destroyed on 70 AD. Christ said this statement around 30-33 AD.

Cool coincidence huh?

You know what's more interesting is, this Roman power changes colors and by Constantinople's time, it is the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican declares itself as God's representation on earth and changes several laws like the Ten Commandments, stating they have the authority to do so (ie: changing Sabbath to Sunday). Even though the Bible never gives that authority. The church also persecutes and kills Christians that do not believe in the Vatican's power...see the Spanish Inquisition and Foxx's Book of Martyrs, historical records.

Conclusion: Theologians look at the 'abomination that causes desolation' as a present and future power coming from the same root == pagan Rome and 'Christian' Rome.

Answer 3

Schneb gave an interesting response...it's about the translation. Generation means race! Well, this is hard for me, because now who knows about all the things in the Bible, what was really meant? How many other words really mean something else?

But I'll offer this:
maybe -- just maybe --please don't kill me folks -- there's a little hint at reincarnation here? That 'generation' he was referring to is still here among us, reincarnated? Never left?

Anyway, that's what I figured was possible when I read it. Cuz I also wondered, if a 'generation' is 20 years, then yes, why no 2nd coming yet? It's been 2000 years. What's going on?

Then, here's another idea I had: There were those among him in that generation who had the 2nd coming experience already!!! -- because it's an *individual experience* .... it happens internally!!!! And it happened to many then, will now, and in the future too. So Jesus spoke truth.

To support that notion, I'll use scripture, Luke 17:20 - 21:

20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Within You!! Isn't that profound!?

Answer 4

All these false rationalizations don't make any sense, especially the one about "generation" meaning "race" in Greek. Because this isn't the only place Jesus makes this claim. See also Matthew 16:28 - 'Verily 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."

Does "some standing here" also means the Jews as a race, or unbelievers at the end of time, or some other nonsense? No. The writers of the Gospels (I won't say Jesus because I don't believe he actually existed) thought that their Messiah was coming, and was coming soon. The entire movement in 1st century Palestine was preaching the Kingdom of God is at hand. Not in 2100 years, but right then and there.

Answer 5

This passage can be confusing if you don't look at the context. If you look at the question that the disciples posed to Jesus, when shall these things happen, and what should we look for to know its happening? Jesus masterfully answered their question and then some. I believe this prophecy to be dual in application. That generation did not pass away till the things that Jesus said would be fulfilled. Jesus was giving a heads up about what would happen 40 years from that point, with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in AD 70. I also think that Jesus was giving them, and us, a little light into what will be the signs of His return. What kind of things we'll need to look for. If you look back at the beginning of all this conversation of Jesus with His disciples his first words of warning were,

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

So you see He wanted to give us a heads up, many of the things that happened in that day will, I believe from the scriptures, happen again in the last day just before the return of our Lord.

I hope that helps a little.

Answer 6

First of all, the second coming was never supposed to happen during the lifetime of Christ's disciples, because the same prophecies of Daniel that told when Christ would be born and die, told things like the capture of the pope by Napoleon. Christians are still waiting because so far the Biblical prophecies have been uncannily accurate, and even today's events can be calmly understood in the light of Bible prophecy.

About your verse: I don't understand it either! But I've heard that that particular discourse by Jesus had two or three applications, including the destruction of Jerusalem and his own "transfiguration" on the mountain when Peter, James and John saw him transformed into brightness and talking with Moses and Elijah.

Answer 7

Jesus did no longer lie, yet guy's traditions probable have led many faraway from the religion for this precise reason. i think that Jesus wasn't crucified on a Friday. the secret is this verse: "Now it became the day of education, and day after as we talk became to be a definite Sabbath. by way of fact the Jews did no longer prefer the bodies left on the crosses in the process the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down." (John 19:31) Passover happens on a particular date each and every 12 months. It rotates the day like Christmas, by way of fact it is the date (no longer the day) this is considerable. by way of Passover, this is hung on Nisan (or Abib) 14, there would be a definite Sabbath, which took place from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening. Then the popular Sabbath took place from Friday evening to Saturday evening. For extra specified information approximately this, please see the positioning on the link under:

Answer 8

See, My Man... This is exactly why I dont go diving Head first into the Bible.. Peter also spoke of ,"Things hard to understand" in this Bible.. But, to me.. This one is simple.. Remember, "Star Trek" The next generation? Well, that show did not depict a few people.. It was a new series... Thats why they called it the next generation.. Thats exactly what happened in the Bible. Old Testament (series 1.. Old Generation) New Testament (series 2 New Generation)..
Thats why he said Generation.. And trust.. God knows that it would be thousands of years before he comes back.. Hes God.. And even Old Testament prophecies.... Like the one about cars ...Werent fullfilled Yet.. So U just gotta add it all up together.... And think outside the box. And read the WHOLE story before u pick a scripture and run with it.

Answer 9

Realistically,other than fundies most Christians don't actually read the Gospel like it was a press account. We accept that the text has been adulterated with interpolations,but remain confident that the basic thrust of His teachings shine through. Personally,I'm not waiting for any second coming; when it happens,it happens. No one knows when. Fundies read the Bible like it was a collection of news clippings from the AP,and treat Revelations like it was Nostradamus or something. Frankly,they give Christianity a bad name.

Answer 10

"tell us when this will be" - reffering to Jesus' previous statement regarding the destruction of the temple.

"AND what will be the sign of your coming" - seperate issue

They asked two questions and he answered both.

"This generation" - it would be obvious that Jesus is not referring to a 30 year period of time, simply by reading the previous statements, (wars, famines, earthquakes, etc...) these statements alone imply a much longer period of time. It was not uncommon for Jesus' words to have hidden meaning, and they aren't hard to understand if unless you really want don't want to. "This generation" has been debated over, but it is likely that he was referring to this period of the Church, the period in which we are waiting for his return. I could keep going more in depth, but somehow I doubt it would mean much to you. This question, like many others, has been asked many times, and many assumptions made over scripture, but ultimately God will have the final say over it.

Answer 11

Christians are waiting for his return because we believe that He will come back to bring us to heaven. Jesus says that he is the way the truth and the life. I believe this and so should you.

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