Which generation is "this generation"?

[shnarkle]

"34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. " Matthew 24:34

Which generation? The texts indicate not only that it was the generation listening, but explicitly point out that the judgment would fall upon Jerusalem and the elders who were such a corrosive and corrupting influence over them.

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
(Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-18)
"45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables,THEY PERCEIVED THAT HE SPAKE OF THEM." Matthew 21:33-45

"he sent forth his armies, and destroyed THOSE murderers, and burned up THEIR city." Matthew 22:7

" how can ye escape the damnation of hell?34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. "Matthew 23:33-36

Here's the judgment language Jesus uses:

"the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken" Matthew 24:29

Where have we seen this judgment language used before? Jesus was a prophet using judgment/condemnation language right from his own Hebrew scriptures, and he is explicitly referring to the judgment that will come upon Jerusalem.

" the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. "Isaiah 13:10

Jesus was living during the Pax Romana which was a time of peace so for Jesus to say there will be wars and rumors of wars would have been seen as ludicrous. Josephus(a Jewish General in Jewish army, soldier, and Pharisee) recorded the wars between the Romans and Jews. During this time there was a star that resembled a "sword". Some saw "visions of chariots"; many signs and wonders. Everyone thought it was a sign of divine judgement. The temple doors blew open and great sounds, earthquakes, and a voice which said, "let us remove hence" Josephus recorded all of this. Book 20;ch.8;section 6 "imposters led the people into the wilderness, Felix brought them back...many false prophets"

Some will claim that none of this could have happened already because the gospel hasn't been preached to the whole world. Here's what the bible states.

"I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout THE WHOLE WORLD." Romans 1:8

"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known TO ALL THE NATIONS for the obedience of faith" Romans 16:25,26

"the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in ALL THE WORLD " Col.1:6

Some will also claim that Jesus is referring to the end of the world, but " the end of the age"(Gr. "aion") in Matthew 24:3 is a better translation than the end of the "world" (Gr. "cosmos")

So the question is then how come no one see's Christ coming during the destruction of Jerusalem? The reason is that Christ's judgment doesn't require his prescence.

Here's the proof:

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17

People don't seem to have a problem remembering that verse, but can't seem to remember this one:

"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." John 12:48

Even with this fresh in our minds, how many notice that it isn't actually Christ who is doing the judging?

When Jesus says that those who reject him do not receive his words, he's referring to his teachings, his doctrines which are the commandments of God. He's using a Metonymy, but this doesn't negate the fact that it is the law that will condemn those who disobey God. Paul puts it this way, "the letter kills". Here's yet another way to put it:

"37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. "Matthew 12:37

When we look at Christ's judgment upon Jerusalem it is the same story except that people not only forget that he is referring to Jerusalem, they seem to think that his judgment requires his presence as well. It doesn't, especially when the figure Metonymy is being used which puts him for the execution of his judgment. Here is the definition of the figure with examples to compare it to.

Metonymy; or, Change of noun. The change of one noun for another related noun. Me-ton-y-my; from "meta" indicating change, and "onoma", a name; or, in grammar, a noun.

Metonymy is a figure by which on name or noun is used instead of another, to which it stands in a certain relation; it is founded upon relation.

The change is in the noun, and only in a verb as connected with the action preceeding from it.

When we say that a person writes "a bad hand", we do not mean the hand, but the 'hand' is used for the characters which it writes.

Metonymy is of four kinds: viz., of the Cause, of the Effect, of the Subject, and of the Adjunct.

Metonymy of the Cause is when the cause is put for the effect: i.e., when the doer is put for the thing done; or, the instrument for that which is effected; or, where the action is put for the effect produced by the action.

There are four kinds: 1. The person for the action; 2. The instrument for the effect;3. The thing or action for its product; and 4. The material cause for the matter made.

For example: The Spirit is put for the gifts and operations of the Spirit.

"Did you on believing receive the Holy Spirit?" Acts 19:2 Here referring to the gifts of the Spirit because they had already received Him, or they could not have believed at all. Verse 6 also shows that this must be so, for the very gifts and powers are named and exercised.

"Forasmuch as you are also zealous of spirits" 1 Cor.19:12 i.e., of spiritual powers and gifts and revelations.

The writer is put for his writing of book.

Luke 26:29 "They have Moses (i.e. his writings) and athe prophets (.e. their writings); let them hear them."

The organs of speech are put for the testimony given.

Deut. 27:6 "At the mouth (i.e. on the testimony) of two witnesses or three shall he...be put to death"

The mouth is put for the precept or command given.

Gen.14:21 "And Joseph gave them wagons, according to the mouth (i.e. commandment) of Pharaoh"

The tongue is put for what is spoken by it.

Ps. 5:9 "They flatter with their tongue" i.e. with what it says.

The throat is put for the words spoken

Ps. 9 "Their throat (i.e. their speech) is an open sepulchre"

The hand is put for the actions performed by it.

2 Sam. 3:12 "My hand (i.e. my help) shall be with thee"

Anger and wrath are put for the punishment, and various acts which flow from them.

Rom. 2:5 "Thou treasurest up unto theyself wrath" i.e. the judgments produced by it.

Rom. 4:5 "The law worketh wrath" i.e. inflicts or executes punishements and penalties. The word "execute" is actually supplied in Rom.13:4

Sin and its synonyms are put for the effects or pounishment of sin.

Jer. 14:16 "I will pour their wickedness upon them" i.e. the punishment on account of their wickedness.

Zech. 14:19 "This shall be the sin of Egypt" i.e. the punishment for Egypt's sin.

When Christ is said to bear our sins, it means that he bore the punishment (i.e.death) which was due to them. Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 2:24

Christ is put for his people.

Acts 4:4 "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" i.e. My people who belong to me. See vs 5, and compare vss. 1 and 2.

Jesus is put for his doctrine.

2 Cor.11:4 "For if he that comes preaching another Jesus" i.e. a different doctrine or teaching concerning Jesus.
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More Judgment/condemnation language in the Hebrew scriptures:

" the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible...13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger...15Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished." Isaiah 13:5-11,13,15-16

"I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.
38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
40 They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.
41 And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. " Ezekiel 16:37-41


"the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2But who may abide the day of his coming?... like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:...Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not...For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.... for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 3;18

" all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,...and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. 9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever...there shall the vultures also be gathered," Isaiah 34:4-10,15

"As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries... and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities...10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?" Isaiah 64:2,7,10-12

" I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not."