OLIVET DISCOURSE #13

THIS GENERATION

Matthew 24:34  (cf. Mark 13:30, Luke 21:32).

All three of the Gospels report that the first statement after the parable of the tree is: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” This saying has caused great confusion and is one of the most difficult statements ever to be spoken by our Lord. Bible students have tried to overcome the difficulty with a number of suggestions.

The suggestions have centered on the word “generation.” What does the word mean? The Greek word is genea. According to Abbott-Smith it has several meanings:

1.      Race, stock, or family.

2.      Generation; (a) of contemporary member of a family: (b) of all the people of a given period: (c) the period covered by the lifetime of a generation, used loosely in place of successive ages.[1]

From the meaning of the word, it these are the suggestions proposed:

1. There are those who see this as the justification for applying the discourse to the events of the destruction of the city and temple in 70 AD. They hold that “this generation” can mean only those who lived in the first century. This appears to be the logical and obvious meaning. However, there is one big problem—“all these things” did not happen in the first century. To take such a strict literal interpretation means portions of the prophecy have to be spiritualized, such as the second coming of Christ. The second coming of Christ is part of the discourse and included in the phrase “all these things,” yet it did not happen. The generation that is hearing these words did not see “all these things.”
2. Another explanation is that the term refers to the word meaning “race.” Many hold to this view. In this sense, it would mean that the Jewish race would not vanish before these events take place. History would certainly uphold this interpretation. Attempts have been made to do away with the Jewish race, but all have and will fail. The Jews will not be exterminated. Hitler in World War II could not do it. God will keep them by His providence and protection. Israel will survive as a people until the end of the age. J. Dwight Pentecost tells us that “this seems the best explanation”[2] for the meaning of the word genea.
3. Another explanation is that the term refers to the generation that is alive at the time of fulfillment of the events. John Walvoord expounds this view: “The term generation is understood to mean just what it normally means, namely, 30 to 100 years, or a generation, a life span. But the generation referred to in the expression ‘this generation’ is not the generation to whom Christ is speaking, but the generation to whom the signs will become evident. In effect He is saying that the generation which sees the specific signs, that is, the great tribulation, will also see the fulfillment of the second coming of Christ. On the basis of other Scriptures, teaching that this period is only three and one-half years, this prophecy becomes a very plausible explanation.”[3]
   While this view may be plausible, there is a note of warning we must make. Many who hold this view insist that this parable represents Israel, and that the “this generation” refers to our own generation, which has seen the rebirth of that nation. John Phillips hold this and declares: “There can be little doubt that our generation is the generation that has witnessed the budding of the fig tree, the rebirth of the state of Israel, and the beginning of ‘all these things’ which come from the body of the prophecy.”[4]
   This view makes the view applicable to the church of this dispensation. As we have noted before, the parable does not necessarily apply to the nation, rather the fig tree is tribulation. The rebirth of Israel as a nation was necessary for these things to happen, but do not indicate that these things are happening. It is dangerous to hold that we are the generation during which fulfillment will happen. This present generation may or may not be the generation that enters the Tribulation. We are not the disciples that will enter the tribulation, for the church will be raptured before that takes place (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
4. Another suggestion is the explanation by C.F. Baker. He holds that it was the generation that Christ was addressing is meant. However, the fulfillment was conditional. He writes: “…that this statement contains an untranslatable particle ‘an’ which indicates that a certain thing could happen under certain conditions. In other words, all of these things could have come to pass in that generation if certain conditions had been fulfilled. What are those conditions? Plainly, the condition was that Israel repents and be converted, which Israel did not do. Since the condition was not fulfilled, the events did not come to pass. But, of course, they will yet come to pass at the end of the age.”[5]
   This view upholds the customary meaning of generation is plausible and worthy of consideration. The natural meaning of the text means the generation in which Christ is speaking to. If this present dispensation of the mystery (Eph. 3:1-10) did not suspend and postpone the events foretold, then that generation would have seen the complete fulfillment of this prophecy. However, the Mystery was revealed and brought in the dispensation of grace, thus postponing the fulfillment of this discourse. It will now be the generation of the Tribulation that will not pass away before complete fulfillment takes place. This view allows the phrase “this generation” to be taken in its natural and customary use when Christ spoke these words, and also explains why the fulfillment was delayed unto a future generation.

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[1]  G. Abbott-Smith, A MANUAL GREEK LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 89.

[2]  J. Dwight Pentecost, THINGS TO COME, 281.

[3]  John F. Walvoord, “Christ’s Olivet Discourse on the Time of the End,” 24.

[4]  John Phillips, EXPLORING THE FUTURE, 167.

[5]  C.F. Baker, UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPELS, 227.