Which generation was Jesus referring to?

Question

When he stated all these things will come to pass before this generation passes? Did he mean the generation he was addressing? If so does that mean he lied about returning before they died, or did he do what he said he would do before they died?

Answer 1

It is open ended. That way hundreds of years from now idiots will still be saying the same thing and using it to enslave that generation.

Answer 2

24:34 "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place."NRSV The solemn phrase "truly I tell you" introduces an important truth, an assurance like an oath. There are three views of the meaning of this verse: (1) It refers only to those alive at the time Jesus spoke who still would be alive at the destruction of Jerusalem; (2) it refers to the end times only; (3) it refers both to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end times, the destruction of Jerusalem containing within itself the elements of the final end times.

Jesus singled out this generation using the Greek word genea, which can refer both to those living at a given time as well as to race or lineage (therefore, he would be speaking of the Jewish race). That makes the third view above most likely. Jesus used "generation" here to mean that the events of 24:1-28 would occur initially within the lifetime of Jesus' contemporaries. Not that all the problems would stop at the end of their lifetimes, but that all these things would be under way, verifying what Jesus had said. Jesus explained that many of those alive at that time would witness the destruction of Jerusalem. In addition, the Jewish nation would be preserved and remain on earth, so Jews also would witness the end-time events (see also 16:28).

Answer 3

Generation can mean different things. It can refer to a specific time frame, in which case Jesus was referring to those alive at his time, the people to whom he was speaking. He did what he said he would do before any of them died, it was accomplished in his death and resurrection. There was no waiting to some eschatological end. Generation can also refer to the process of coming into being, denoting an age or an era. The gospel writers probably used this ongoing general sense of an age looking forward to the final judgment at the end of all times, a sense of in illo tempore, time outside of time. In this understanding Jesus words are a now/not yet proposition awaiting and passing fulfillment in each life. He did not lie because each death means a confrontation with that reality whether immediately or at the eschaton. There is no consciousness in death, and where there is no consciousness there is no time.

Answer 4

The generation that could tell their children about WW1 and WW2 as this generation will not pass away until all things are fulfilled Matt.24:3, 7,14, 15,
as from Daniel [ as father to son to son, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ], then
all things full that generation will pass and the next has the message of the word and the kingdom as things fulfill in the end time when Satan has a short time and the 7 world Empires have come [ 7 heads ] and the 8th is of the the 7, Jesus second coming is in the 8th as Matt.24: 22, 34, 36 - 38, 45 - 47; Most pay no attention as in the days of Noah, most do not know what to pay attention to.
It takes alot of study, then as the bible says, most think the bible is foolish and any one who does the study is as well.

Answer 5

Jesus doesn't lie. He is perfectly sinless. This passage you are quoting from should be interpreted to mean that "generation" refers to the last generation living on earth at the time that all these signs are collectively seen ( Matthew 24:4-14). The signs are not broken up over many generations, but one generation will witness all of them. Our generation has seen all of them and at a greater diabolical level than any other period in history. Scary? Not if you are a child of God. For the end of this life is the beginning of true living with the one who loves us most, Jesus Christ..

Answer 6

IF you have a Bible printed since 1950, you will find a letter next to it and saying, at the bottom of the page, "race". The oldest bibles found, in a cave and translated showed some words did not keep the same meaning over 1900 years. So use the word "race" instead.

Answer 7

It depends on how you interpret end time prophecies. Different people have different theories as to what Jesus meant.

I am not an expert on this, as I am still learning, but if you are a Biblical dispensationalist, the term "this generation" does not refer to the people to whom he was literally speaking to; rather he was referring to the generation who first saw the SIGNS that he was referring to (implying that once it started, the end of the world would be over in less than a generation).

Answer 8

There are many prophecies given that point toward the signs of the end times....we are seeing and understanding many of these signs today .... we are the generation that are seeing these signs and know that the Lord is returning soon....

Jesus can not lie...because man is ignorant and incapable of understanding man accuses Jesus of deception...

there is Satan who does the deception...place the blame where it belongs....

Answer 9

The generation that sees all of the signs He was talking about would see His second coming.

Answer 10

if he existed and if he in fact did say that then yes he was lying - however, every word attributed to Jesus was written many many years after his supposed death and not from eyewitness accounts, so it's highly unlikely he said it in the first place.