Matthew, the word generation

[endaman]

Chapter 24 of Matthew mentions many prophetic signs and happenings, then line 34 is this.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
Matthew 24:34

Can someone explain to me the context of the word generation here? Is this the generation at that time or does it refer to a longer time period like a generation of a race. A class of man such as this wicket generation. Are there any official church references to this? Thanks.

Here is some more of chapter 24

29 'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then, too, all the peoples of the earth will beat their breasts; and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 'Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33 So with you when you see all these things: know that he is near, right at the gates.
34 In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away, all these things will have taken place.

 

[SonSearcher]

From the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:

“24:34 this generation: The expression in Greek can mean “this race” or “these contemporaries of mine”. The latter meaning best fits this context, not only because Jesus envisions his initial coming within the lifetime of his first disciples (16:28), but also because he often addresses his unbelieving contemporaries with the same term (11:16), either contrasting them with an earlier generation that responded to God’s message (12:4142) or implicitly comparing them with the faithless generation of Israel that failed to enter the Promised Land (12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; cf. Deut 1:35; 32:5).”

Hope that helps.

 

[chimo]

Chapter 24 of Matthew mentions many prophetic signs and happenings, then line 34 is this.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
Matthew 24:34

Can someone explain to me the context of the word generation here? Is this the generation at that time or does it refer to a longer time period like a generation of a race. A class of man such as this wicket generation. Are there any official church references to this? Thanks.

Here is some more of chapter 24

29 'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then, too, all the peoples of the earth will beat their breasts; and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 'Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33 So with you when you see all these things: know that he is near, right at the gates.
34 In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away, all these things will have taken place.

It may mean in a broader sense that the word generation refers from His first coming to His second coming. This was the interpretation of the saint from Spain, St. Josemaria Escriva which the Navarre Bible commentary had picked up. The Orthodox Study Bible also intreprets this in the same manner saying that generation refers to all believers at all times and not particularily to the people of Jesus days on earth. Jesus tends to play on words to give to us a meaning that we do not easily see. However the intrepretation from the Fathers of the Church as from these two sources can highlight our desire for its truth.

 

[endaman]

These are very helpful thank you.

 

[jonathan_hili]

Chapter 24 of Matthew mentions many prophetic signs and happenings, then line 34 is this.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
Matthew 24:34

Can someone explain to me the context of the word generation here?

The context is all important here, and I think a clearer way to understand what is going on is to compare this text with the relevant section in Mark’s Gospel. Although the question by the disciples is slightly different, the emphasis is basically the same. Jesus has just point to the Temple and alerted his followers that it will be destroyed.

They then ask: "“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (Matt 24:3)

So, there are three questions here, and they are all inter-related:
(i) When will the Temple be destroyed?
(ii) What is the sign of Jesus’ coming?
(iii) What is the sign of the close of the age?

Jesus’ discourse, which is heavily coloured by apocalyptic language, then attempts to answer them, highlighting these aspects:
(i) False messiahs will come (vv.4-5).
(ii) The times will become more violent (vv.6-8).
(iii) The disciples will be persecuted (v.9).
(iv) Some disciples will fall away, be led away or grow cold in their love for Christ (vv.10-13).
(v) The Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world (very likely, what is meant here is “Empire”) (v.14).
(vi) Then the end will come (v.14).

This is an introduction into a more descriptive account of the “end”. It will become clear here that conflates all three questions into a single answer. Especially significant is the connection between “the end” or “close” of the age and the destruction of the Temple.

Vv.16-28 repeat some of the above points but instead focus in on more detail on the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, citing Daniel’s prophecy as an indication of what is going to happen. He seems to be warning his disciples when things look bad in Jerusalem, get out of Dodge pronto!

Vv.29-34 are a bit more focused on Christ’s return. But what is meant here? Notice his quasi-quotation from Daniel: “they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”. Does this mean Jesus coming down from Heaven to gather the elect? I don’t think so. Rather in Daniel it appears that the Son of Man is going up to Heaven - ascending, not descending. I think what Jesus is alluding to here is his own ascension, a very important event in the early Church which - for some reason - we have neglected lately.

That is why he can say: “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.” (v.34)

We see, then, that Jesus has answered all these questions: the Temple will be destroyed; the age will close (with Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and destruction of the Temple); and he will come back to them. And, as all these events happened with about thirty six or seven years, it makes sense to say that that generation would not pass away until they had witness them.

Only when Jesus begins to talk about “Heaven and earth” passing away (v.35) does he then seem to go into a more futuristic mode of discussion.

Hope this helps a little.

Jonathan

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

You have some great posts to work from already. Below is what a Catholic Commentary states on the single verse mentioned.

1. ‘Repent’. The Baptist and our Lord had begun thus, Mat_3:2; Mat_4:17, and the Apostles had been told to continue, Luk_24:47. To Semites the name is the person. ‘Baptism in the name’ means ‘to be, by the fact of baptism, consecrated, dedicated, subjected to someone’, F. Prat, op cit, II (1945) 466; § 650a-o. Jesus has been shown to be the Messias. To join his community, to belong to him, his baptism must be received. Thus ‘baptism in the name of Jesus’ is not a liturgical formula, but distinguishes Christian baptism from e.g. that of John the Baptist, 19:5, or that given to proselytes. Mat_28:19 and St Paul’s question in 19:3 show that knowledge of the Holy Trinity was necessary, and each Person is mentioned here in 38-39. Forgiveness of sins, a divine prerogative, comes through Jesus. The gift of the Holy Spirit included the divine Indwelling, Sanctifying Grace and Confirmation.

 

[Glacies]

The 19th century Haydock Commentary says it means the nation of the Jews, while Fathers of the Church like St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome of Strodium give explanations that it signifies the human race or the generation of the faithful.

Haydock Commentary:

This generation; i.e. the nation of the Jews shall not cease to exist, until all these things shall be accomplished: thus we see the nation of the Jews still continue, and will certainly continue to the end of the world. T. — Then the cross, which has been a scandal to the Jew, and a stumbling-block to the Gentile, shall appear in the heavens, for the consolation of the good Christian. Hoc signum crucis erit in cœlo, cum Dominus ad judicandum venerit. — If it be to be understood of the destruction of Jerusalem, the sense may be, this race of men now living; if of the last day of judgment, this generation of the faithful, saith Theophylactus,[4] shall be continued: i.e. the Church of Christ, to the end of the world. Wi. — This race, I tell you in very truth, shall not pass away till all this be finally accomplished in the ruin of Jerusalem, the most express figure of the destruction and end of the world. V. — By generation, our Saviour does not mean the people that were in existence at that time, but the faithful of his Church; thus says the psalmist: this is the generation of them that seek the Lord. Ps. xxiii, v. 6. S. Chrys. hom. lxxvii.

Catena Aurea:

Jerome: Or, by “generation” here He means the whole human race, and the Jews in particular. And He adds, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,” to confirm their faith in what has gone before; as though He had said, it is easier to destroy things solid and immovable, than that aught should fail of my words.

 

[endaman]

This is a great wealth of information.

Can anyone point me to somewhere in the Bible where generation means more that the typical 40 years as in Numbers 32:13

Yahweh’s anger being aroused by Israel, he made them wander in the desert for forty years, until the generation that offended Yahweh had all disappeared.