Matthew 24:34

[williamric]

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

I really dont get that verse? Is Jesus talking about the destruction of the temple or his second coming. To me it seems like the second but how can that be?

Thanks in advance:thumbsup:

 

[tm30]

There are two ways of looking at it, depending in the definition of “generation”.

If we take “generation” as we typically think of a generation, Jesus’ prophecy refers to the destruction of the Temple, which was built purposely to be a representation of the universe/world.

If we take “generation” to be something marked by the covenants, then generation refers to the body of time between the Redemption and His second coming, in which case, the prophecy is one of an undetermined date of fulfillment.

In Catholic theology, prophecy is often a both/and situation. Jesus was not only predicting the fall of the Temple, but also the wiping away of the old earth/heaven and the creation of the new earth/heaven at Judgment.

 

[williamric]

There are two ways of looking at it, depending in the definition of “generation”.

If we take “generation” as we typically think of a generation, Jesus’ prophecy refers to the destruction of the Temple, which was built purposely to be a representation of the universe/world.

If we take “generation” to be something marked by the covenants, then generation refers to the body of time between the Redemption and His second coming, in which case, the prophecy is one of an undetermined date of fulfillment.

In Catholic theology, prophecy is often a both/and situation. Jesus was not only predicting the fall of the Temple, but also the wiping away of the old earth/heaven and the creation of the new earth/heaven at Judgment.

Okay, I think I understand this. Do you have any links or references that I can read also?

 

[COPLAND_3]

Years ago when I was learning Greek I ran onto one of the best explanations on this, here is a link of it that I highly recommend reading, it will only take a minute. litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Matt.+24%3A34

 

[Ruthie]

Thanks, Big C. That was enlightening!

Ruthie

 

[williamric]

Years ago when I was learning Greek I ran onto one of the best explanations on this, here is a link of it that I highly recommend reading, it will only take a minute. litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Matt.+24%3A34

To be honest I dont really understand the article?

 

[COPLAND_3]

I can see how that might be hard to follow since it is for someone who is learning Greek. Let me try to clarifiy it.

The explanation is explaining a Greek word in the text that has a special nuance that gives it a meaning that is not noticed in the English language. In other words Jesus is not saying that that generation is going to see the whole last days to its completion, but that they are going to witness it come under way. St. John even said that they were in the last days,**1 Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. ** Just as the article said, if you translate the sense of the Matt. 24:34 passage, it would be something like, “this generation will not come to pass until all these things begin to come to pass.”