Return of Jesus within a generation

[GiftofMercy]

Jesus was establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. He did this with miracles and ministering and ultimately by His passion.

 

[ATraveller]

When some read “kingdom”, they imagine some Cinderella kingdom with castles and walls rather than the borderless and stateless Kingdom.

 

[Mike_from_NJ]

Further signs that this was not fulfilled, Matthew 24 also said there would be signs just beforehand where the sun would not give off light and the stars would fall from the sky. Also Jesus said that his return in that generation would be him in the clouds for all to see and mourn – a very visible sign. There are no writings saying everyone in the world saw Jesus returning in the clouds.

 

[Mike_from_NJ]

So too - Generation can refer to an “Age”

Jesus also said on numerous occasions that some of the people he was speaking to would not taste death before his return for all to see. In Matthew 10:23 he tells his disciples that if they are persecuted in one town to go to the next one, and that before they go through all the towns of Israel he would return. That sounds like it was talking about a very short range of time and not an age.

 

[EndTimes]

That sounds like it was talking about a very short range of time and not an age.

It may sound like it - to you - but it’s not…
True - at least some of his disciples thought His Return would be imminent
Jesus reiterated to them/us to not overly concern ourselves re: the When…
to the point of declaring that we shall not know the Day and Hour

For, our Focus must be ultimately on Today…

Further knowledge of the NT - paints a much fuller picture concerning events re: The End Times…

That said - Signs from Jesus given by Him exist - which can be realized by some…
And finally - all.

_

 

[De_Maria]

From my reading (which is not the reading of the Catholic Church) it is clear that Jesus anticipated the establishment of the kingdom in a matter of a few years. Early Christians likewise.

The Catholic Church is the Kingdom He established. Within the Church, amongst His believers, He is our Eucharistic King. We just celebrated this feast, last Sunday, Nov 24.

 

[Crusader13]

Further signs that this was not fulfilled, Matthew 24 also said there would be signs just beforehand where the sun would not give off light and the stars would fall from the sky. Also Jesus said that his return in that generation would be him in the clouds for all to see and mourn – a very visible sign. There are no writings saying everyone in the world saw Jesus returning in the clouds.

Actually Josephus writes of this event when the temple is destroyed in AD 70 describing what he believed was a cloud descending on the temple.

And the language used to describe the falling of the stars isn’t literal, but it’s apocalyptic imagery. Similar language is used in Isaiah when Babylon is destroyed and since the temple is considered a microcosm of the universe it’s destruction fit this narrative exactly.

 

[Gorgias]

Further signs that this was not fulfilled, Matthew 24 also said there would be signs just beforehand where the sun would not give off light and the stars would fall from the sky.

Jesus segues into an eschatological prophecy here. These are end-of-time references. Go back to Mt 24:3 – Jesus is asked about two distinct events: the destruction of the temple, and the parousia / end of time. Jesus is talking about the latter, here.

Also Jesus said that his return in that generation would be him in the clouds for all to see and mourn – a very visible sign.

You’re conflating prophecies here. One was that “this generation” will see the persecution of Christians (Mt 23:36), another was that “this generation” will see these things take place (i.e., the destruction of the temple) (Mt 24:31), and still others speak about end-time events.

In Matthew 10:23 he tells his disciples that if they are persecuted in one town to go to the next one, and that before they go through all the towns of Israel he would return.

You mean “before the Son of Man comes”, don’t you? And… didn’t he return to earth following His resurrection? So, how can you claim that this is a prophecy of the parousia and not of Easter?

 

[peterson]

Well, you seem right!

 

[Cathoholic]

AINg . . . .

Did Jesus say He would return and establish His Kingdom within a generation or that people who were listening would not die until He returned first and established His Kingdom?

.

MATTHEW 24:29-31 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; 30 then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; 31 and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Dr. Scott Hahn has approached these by rhetorically asking himself . . .
. . . WHAT is a “coming of the Lord”?

He points out the answer lies in the Old Testament where there were many “comings of the Lord”.

Dr. Hahn points out that the phrase a
“coming of the Lord” means . . . . Covenant Judgment.

So there are layers of meaning to this passage.

In a sense it means Covenant Judgment upon Israel.
(But to reduce it down to exclusively this would be preterism.)

Josephus talks about the signs and wonders leading up to the “Coming of the Lord” that was seen leading up to the destruction of the Temple that “this generation” that Jesus was addressing would have been alive to see.

Yet there is another sense where this has to do with the end of our lives individually when we are ALL judged. (A sort of individual Covenant Judgment so to speak.)

Yet there is another layer of meaning that this has to do with the end of time.
(Covenant Judgment on the world which will be at the end of time.)

John Cardinal Henry Newman phrases this last concept or principle this way . . . .

. . . .thus is the future of the Christian Church typified in the past Jewish history.

Does this help with your question?

God bless.

Cathoholic