Shall we take a closer look at Jesus' famous false prophecy?

Question

Having looked at Matthew's account, let's look at Mark's account.

First: Mark 9:1
Jesus said there will be some standing in his audience who would not die til they see the Kingdom of God come with power.

(Church folks explain this by saying he was talking about the transfiguration. The transfiguration was not the kingdom of God coming with power. It was a local event.)

Next: Mark 13:30
Here are the predictions in detail:
(1) The sun shall be darkened.
(2) The moon will not give light.
(3) Stars of heaven shall fall.
(4) Jesus seen coming in clouds with great power & glory.
(5) He'll send his angels and gather the righteous.

Then Jesus says: This generation will not pass until all these things be fulfulled.

(Now church folks change their tack and explain this by saying 'generation' means mankind.
Generation doesn't mean mankind; it means generation. If he meant mankind, it would go without saying, so he wouldn't say it.)

Question: comments anyone?

Yes, oldguy63, actually I am.

I am compiling all serious replies and comments on this question, and I thank all for your replies.

Answer 1

The Bible is false.

Oldguy: if the Bible was clear on things, you wouldn't have to be a "Bible scholar" to know what it means. The Bible is clearly not the Word of God, but written by confusing men years ago.

Answer 2

These are interesting passages, but your objections are overly simplistic.

1. (Mark 9:1) If associated with the prior context, the event of reference is most likely the resurrection (cf. Mark 8:31). Further, in Acts, we certainly see the Kingdom of God come in power of the Holy Spirit -- at which 11 of the 12 disciples were present (those present in the audience, among others, cf. Mark 8:34).

2. (Mark 13:30) The Greek "genea", while the subject of much dispute, is almost never interpreted to mean mankind. It has been translated "race" (possibly pointing to the Jewish nation) by Wuest, Geisler, and others which the context would support.

Some also translate "genea" to mean specifically those living at the time. In this case, the interpretation of "these things" becomes the subject of scrutiny. The argument in this case is that this could refer to the set of all the listed events from among those mentioned, which signified the advent of the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70AD.

Answer 3

The verse from Mark 9:1 was the transfiguration as indicated by the verses after. Jesus, six days later, took them on up into this mountain, and there He was transfigured before them. His raiment did shine. And while He was there in this transfigured state, Moses and Elijah appeared, and they were talking with Him. Jesus said, "There are some standing here that are not going to die until they see the kingdom with power." They were taken into the eternal, and they actually saw the kingdom of God coming with power and glory. For this brief time, Jesus took on an appearance more appropriate for the King of Glory than for a humble man.


The Mark 13:30 verse ... What generation does Jesus refer to? It cannot be the generation of the disciples, because they did not see the triumphant return of Jesus. It is undoubtedly the generation that sees these signs you listed - especially the abomination of desolation.

It is also possible that the word generation can be understood as a race or people. This may be a promise that the Jewish race will not perish before history comes to a conclusion.

Answer 4

For one thing, you are select in your quoting. Anyone who truly cares to read this, get your Bible and read the entire chapter of Mark 13 from verse 1 all the way through the end of the chapter. Our "quoter" hasn't given it all.
Jesus' disciples asked Him actually three questions if you read it in KJV, NIV, and any other for comparison. Jesus told them what they asked, but also, gave us info for even today and into the future. Part of the wording is designed specifically to being fulfilled (future to the present audience) when Jerusalem was destroyed after the disciples were martyred and the church had spread to much of the known world. I suggest some of you read the writings of Josephus. His writings are NOT sacred. Also, the reference to "pray that your flight be not in winter" is debated even among scholars as to whether that be the destruction of Jerusalem when the temple was destroyed and all the gold melted and stolen or possibly meant to be when Jerusalem will be overtaken again after the third temple is built and the anti-Christ sit in it claiming to be God as described in Daniel and in 2Thesselonians 2:2-4 which is discussing of the "man of sin" who we would call the anti-Christ "sitting in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God".., or both!
The "elect", as far as I can ascertain from any serious Biblical scholar is referring specifically to the Jewish people. Count how many times that word is used in the text in Mark. It matters.
"This generation" is refering to the generation that sees the "beginning of sorrows" shall see all these (other described) things come to pass... NOT the generation to whom he was speaking. That is the reason He says "of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven...etc..., but the Father".
Also, Jesus plainly tells us that he is referencing the prophetic words of Daniel the prophet and ALL scholars know this is referring to "end time events" when Jesus returns. Mark 13:14. And it is yet to be since the prophecy is talking about the Jewish temple being intact and there presently isn't one intact so we know there WILL BE a third and probably a fourth one built.., but you are not a Bible scholar and I suspect NO true answer will suffice. You aren't interested in an answer, but an argument since you are an non-believer of our Lord Jesus of Nazareth being the Christ, the holy Son of God, the Jewish Messiah.
Take my answer or leave it! It would take much time to explain to you why you cannot even remotely "get it" since your spiritual understanding is darkened. You are standing diametrically opposed to the very God of the Universe and the written word He has given to all of mankind.
Those of us who are known by God and who know Him in return, also know you are fishing in the ocean with a cane and led sinker! You are out of your element. May you open your heart up to God and let Him give you some spiritual understanding and some divine wisdom.

Answer 5

Mark 9:1 you did not explain what you are arguing about in that scripture but in Mark 13 describes the end of days which common sense will tell you that he means mankind when he says generation. Gay use to mean Happy years ago and do you say that you are gay when you are feeling good? The "a-word" in those days meant donkey but you it has a different meaning now. Do I need to go on?

Answer 6

You've gotten some good answers to Mark 9:1...so I won't comment.

Re: this "generation will not pass"...the original Greek was "genea" derived from "genos". Only one of the definitions of "genea" is consistent with our typical interpretation of "generation"...the rest are more consistent with the term "genealogy" and refer to a family line...we would more likely use the term "race" now. The term genos is more consistent with the genealogy interpretation...it clearly refers to a family line, tribe, nation, etc... I interpret Jesus statements in Mark 13:30 to mean that the Hebrew nation (Israel) would survive until the end of times.

Answer 7

So do you have a problem with the Apostle John seeing the whole prophetic unfolding and full revelation of the Kingdom and writing it down in the book of Revelation? Or what of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit just 50 days after Jesus ascended to heaven in the clouds? That fits perfectly with His teaching that the Kingdom is first of all spiritual, not political. If that doesn't satisfy you, may I respectfully submit that you don't want a reasonable or even a merely plausible answer. You want a false prophecy, and you're determined to get it no matter what it takes. That, my friend, I cannot help you with.

Answer 8

The "kingdom of God" that Jesus spoke of is the Christian church kingdom of God upon the earth that was formed at Pentecost and later sanctified by around 40 AD - about seven years after Jesus' ascension. Sooooo - many that were with Him that day DID see this event!

These descriptions are spiritual (figurative) not physical (literal):

(1) The sun shall be darkened.
(2) The moon will not give light.
(3) Stars of heaven shall fall.
(4) Jesus seen coming in clouds with great power & glory.
(5) He'll send his angels and gather the righteous.

If you will STUDY and LISTEN instead of lie and destroy these things will be revealed to YOU as well.

Answer 9

Mark 9:1 "..."some who are standing here..." were standing with him in the next few verses where he was transfigures-that was with extreme power.

Mark 13:30 is a totally different event. He is talking about the end of the age, a future event!. He talks about unusual events, like the sun growing dark and the like-then he says "this generation" -the future generation that is a witness to these unusual events. He is not talking about the generation standing there with Him.
Read the text. all of it. There are 36 verses in that "end of the age" passage. You pull just 1 out and try to connect to another passage that is not related to it.
You goofed-

Answer 10

Are all these church people serious?
They got every crazy explanation that they can find.

It's pretty obvious what Jesus was saying, he was telling people he'd be back soon, in the lifetime of some of them.

He didn't do it, and that has to qualify as a false prediction.

Funny how people can twist things when they really need to.

Thanks for the question, I'll check into it.

Answer 11

Read 2 Peter 1:16-21. Peter explains what they saw that day on the mountain with Jesus. It is quite clear that they witnessed the kingdom.

The chapter you quote from Matthew 16:28-17:13 and Mark 9:1-8 help clarify this.