Matthew 24:34 - "This generation": More evidence
Matthew 24:34 - "This generation": More evidence
Summary:
Jesus said in Matthew 24:34: "Truly I-say (to) you that this generation by-no-means will-pass-away until all these (things) take-place."
You can find the original article regarding this passage giving the main pieces of evidence to consider for this verse here:
Matthew 24:34 - This generation will not pass away (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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You can find below more evidence:
Terms: All the uses of the terms "this generation" by Jesus in the gospels
Jesus said in Matthew 24:34: "Truly I-say (to) you that THIS GENERATION by-no-means will-pass-away until all these (things) take-place."
Jesus used the expression "THIS GENERATION" several times in the gospels. Here is a list of all the uses of "THIS GENERATION" by Jesus: Matthew 11:16, Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42, Matthew 12:45, Matthew 23:36, Matthew 24:34, Mark 8:12, Mark 8:38, Mark 13:30, Luke 7:31, Luke 11:29, Luke 11:30, Luke 11:31, Luke 11:32, Luke 11:50, Luke 11:51, Luke 17:25, Luke 21:32.
All those passages seem to suggest that "THIS GENERATION" referred to would be the one directly contemporary to Jesus.
The accounts that would be paralleled (or saying similar things) could be grouped like this:
Matthew 11:16, Luke 7:31.
Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42, Matthew 12:45, Luke 11:29, Luke 11:30, Luke 11:31, Luke 11:32.
Matthew 23:36, Luke 11:50, Luke 11:51.
Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, Luke 21:32.
Mark 8:12
Mark 8:38
Luke 17:25
Below is an analysis of all those passages grouped together by parallel and similar accounts:
Matthew 11:16, Luke 7:31:
It is written in Matthew 12: "NINEVITE MEN will-rise-up at the judgment WITH THIS GENERATION, and THEY-will-condemn IT. Because THEY-repented at the proclamation (of) Jonah, and behold — a greater (thing than) Jonah (is) HERE" (Matthew 12:41). Here NINEVITE MEN are not "THIS GENERATION", as they will rise up "WITH THIS GENERATION, and THEY-will-condemn IT" (Matthew 12:41). "THEY" are contrasted with "IT". Then the contrast continues, as "THEY-repented at the proclamation (of) Jonah", in contrast with THIS GENERATION who had "a greater (thing than) Jonah (is) HERE" (Matthew 12:41). The same principles can apply for the next verse: "(The) QUEEN (of the) SOUTH will-be-raised at the judgment WITH THIS GENERATION, and SHE-will-condemn IT. Because SHE-came from the ends (of) the earth to-hear the wisdom (of) Solomon, and behold — (a) greater (thing than) Solomon (is) HERE" (Matthew 12:42).
In Matthew 12, Jesus delivered a man from an unclean spirit, as "(a) blind and mute (man) being-demonized was-brought to Him. And He-cured him" (Matthew 12:22), "But the Pharisees, having-heard (it), said, “This (One) is not casting-out the demons except by Beelzebul, (the) ruler (of) the demons" (Matthew 12:24). Jesus told them: "Brood (of) vipers! How are-you-able to-speak good (things), being EVIL?" (Matthew 12:34). In that context, Jesus then mentioned that the NINEVITE MEN and the QUEEN of the SOUTH will be raised "WITH THIS GENERATION" (Matthew 12:41-42) in order to condemn IT, and then He added: "NOW WHEN THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT DEPARTS FROM THE PERSON, it-goes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find (it). Then it-says, ‘I-will-return to my house from-where I-came-out’. And having-come, it-finds (it) being-unoccupied, having-been-swept and put-in-order. Then it-proceeds and takes-along with itself seven other spirits more-evil (than) itself. And having-gone-in, they-dwell there, and the last (state of) that person becomes worse (than) the first. So it-will-be also (with) THIS EVIL GENERATION" (Matthew 12:43-45). Jesus may have used interchangeably "the Pharisees" (Matthew 12:24) in front of Him in the 1st century who were "being EVIL" (Matthew 12:34) by opposing Him casting out an unclean spirit, with "THIS EVIL GENERATION" (Matthew 12:45) into which the last state will be worse than the first similarly to when an unclean spirit which departed returns to the same person.
In the parallel account in Luke 11 to Matthew 12, it is written that "some of them said, “He-is-casting-out the demons by Beelzebul, the ruler (of) the demons”. And OTHERS, testing (Him), WERE-SEEKING from Him (A) SIGN from heaven" (Luke 11:15-16) and Jesus said "(while) the crowds (were) assembling-more, He-began to-say “THIS GENERATION is (an) evil GENERATION. IT-IS-SEEKING (A) SIGN" (Luke 11:29). Here "OTHERS" in the 1st century and "THIS GENERATION" may have been used interchangeably, as both would have things SEEKING A SIGN in the same context. Jesus then added: "(a) sign will not be-given (to) it except the sign (of) Jonah. For as JONAH became (a) sign (TO) THE NINEVITES, so THE SON (OF) MAN also will-be (TO) THIS GENERATION" (Luke 11:29-30). Here JONAH and the generation of the THE NINEVITES may be contrasted with THE SON OF MAN and "THIS GENERATION" (Luke 11:30). This is when Jesus then proceeded to say: "(The) QUEEN (of the) SOUTH will-be-raised at the judgment WITH THE MEN (OF) THIS GENERATION, and SHE-will-condemn THEM. Because SHE-came from the ends (of) the earth to-hear the wisdom (of) Solomon, and behold — (a) greater (thing than) Solomon (is) HERE . NINEVITE MEN will-rise-up at the judgment WITH THIS GENERATION, and THEY-will-condemn IT. Because THEY-repented at the proclamation (of) Jonah, and behold — (a) greater (thing than) Jonah (is) HERE" (Luke 11:31-32).
Matthew 23:36, Luke 11:50, Luke 11:51:
It is written in Matthew 23 that Jesus addressed "scribes and Pharisees" (Matthew 23:29) in the 1st century, and said to them: "Snakes, brood (of) vipers, how may-YOU-escape from the condemnation (of) Gehenna? “For this reason behold, I am-sending-forth prophets and wise (ones) and scribes TO YOU — (some) of them YOU-will-kill and crucify, and (some) of them YOU-will-whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city — so-that all (the) righteous blood being-shed on the earth MAY-COME UPON YOU: from the blood (of) Abel the righteous (one), up-to the blood (of) Zechariah, son (of) Berechiah, whom YOU-murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I-say (to) YOU, all these (things) WILL-COME UPON THIS GENERATION" (Matthew 23:33-36). A literary device seems to have been used here, in which two things are talked about in an interchangeable way. The part about "all (the) righteous blood being-shed on the earth MAY-COME UPON YOU" (Matthew 23:35) would have been used interchangeably with "all these (things) WILL-COME UPON THIS GENERATION" (Matthew 24:33). Here "YOU" and "THIS GENERATION" may have been used interchangeably, as both would have things COMING UPON them in the same context. Luke 11:50-51 is similar to Matthew 23:36.
Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, Luke 21:32.
It is written in Matthew 24: "So also YOU — when YOU-see ALL THESE (THINGS), YOU know that (it) is near, at (the) doors. Truly I-say (to) YOU that THIS GENERATION by-no-means will-pass-away until ALL THESE (THINGS) take-place" (Matthew 24:33-34). A literary device seems to have been used here, in which two things are talked about in an interchangeable way. The part about "when YOU-see ALL THESE (THINGS)" (Matthew 24:33) would have been used interchangeably with "THIS GENERATION" (Matthew 24:33) that will not pass away until "ALL THESE (THINGS)" (Matthew 24:34) take place. Here "YOU" and "THIS GENERATION" may have been used interchangeably, as both would see "ALL THESE (THINGS)" (Matthew 24:33, Matthew 24:34). The parallel passages found in Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32 are also similar to Matthew 24:34.
Mark 8:12:
It is written in Mark 8: "And THE PHARISEES came-out and began to-debate (with) Him, SEEKING FROM HIM (A) SIGN from heaven, testing Him. And having-sighed-deeply in His spirit, He-says “Why IS THIS GENERATION SEEKING (A) SIGN?" (Mark 8:11-12). Here "THE PHARISEES" (Mark 8:11) in front of Jesus in the 1st century were "SEEKING FROM HIM (A) SIGN" (Mark 8:11), and as an answer Jesus said: "Why IS THIS GENERATION SEEKING (A) SIGN?" (Mark 8:12). Here "THE PHARISEES" and "THIS GENERATION" may have been used interchangeably, as both would have things SEEKING A SIGN in the same context. Jesus then added: "Truly I-say (to) YOU, (a) sign will-(not)-be-given (to) THIS GENERATION" (Mark 8:12), that is, probably expect the sign of Jonah (like other verses suggest). Here again "YOU" (Mark 8:12) may be used interchangeably with "THIS GENERATION" (Mark 8:12).
Mark 8:38:
It is written in in Mark 8, "having-summoned THE CROWD WITH HIS DISCIPLES, He-said (TO) THEM" (Mark 8:34): "what might (a) person give in-exchange-for his soul? FOR WHOEVER (is) ashamed-of Me and My words in THIS adulterous and sinful GENERATION, the Son (of) Man will also be-ashamed of HIM when He-comes in the glory (of) His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:37-38). Here Jesus specifically addressed in the 1st century "THE CROWD WITH HIS DISCIPLES, He-said (TO) THEM" (Mark 8:34) these things regarding "Me and My words in THIS adulterous and sinful GENERATION" (Mark 8:38).
Luke 17:25:
It is written in Luke 17: "just-like the lightning flashing out-of the (one part) under heaven shines to the (other part) under heaven, so will-be the Son (of) Man in His day. BUT FIRST He must suffer many (things) and be-rejected BY THIS GENERATION" (Luke 17:24-25). Here Jesus was talking about a future day, in contrast to "BUT FIRST" (Luke 17:25) suffering and being rejected "BY THIS GENERATION" (Luke 17:25).
Terms: All the other uses of the terms "this generation" in the New Testament (outside of the mentions from Jesus)
Jesus said in Matthew 24:34: "Truly I-say (to) you that THIS GENERATION by-no-means will-pass-away until all these (things) take-place."
Jesus used the expression "THIS GENERATION" several times in the gospels.
Outside of these mentions, the terms "THIS GENERATION" are only used 2 other times in the entire New Testament: only in Acts 2:40 & Hebrews 3:10.
Acts 2:40:
It is written in Acts 2:40 about "Peter" (Acts 2:38) addressed a 1st century audience, and that : "he-solemnly-testified (with) many other words, and was-exhorting THEM, saying, “BE-SAVED FROM THIS crooked GENERATION”. SO INDEED, the (ones) having-welcomed his word were-baptized. And about three-thousand souls were-added on that day" (Acts 2:40-41). Here Peter told this 1st century audience to "BE-SAVED FROM THIS crooked GENERATION" (Acts 2:40), and the very next verse indicates that "SO INDEED" (Acts 2:41) they were baptized. This would indicate that they believed that they could be saved "FROM THIS crooked GENERATION" (Acts 2:40) by getting baptized right there and then in the 1st century.
Hebrews 3:10:
It is written in Hebrews 3:10 in the 1st century: "your fathers tested (Me) with (a) trial and saw My works (for) FORTY YEARS. Therefore I-was-angry (with) THIS GENERATION" (Hebrews 3:9-10). In Hebrews 3, the expression "THIS GENERATION" (Hebrews 3:10) is used in relation to a period of "FORTY YEARS" (Hebrews 3:10). Hebrews 3 is actually referring to what happened in the Exodus from Egypt in the time of Moses, in which the GENERATION of Moses would have passed away in the wilderness because God became angry with them.
Conjugation: "this" [houtē 3778 in Greek] can be interchangeable with "this" [tautē 3778 in Greek]
Jesus said in Matthew 24:34: "Truly I-say (to) you that THIS generation by-no-means will-pass-away until all these (things) take-place."
The Greek word used for "THIS" (Matthew 24:34) is houtos 3778 in Greek, and it can be conjugated in different forms such as "hautē" or "tautē" for example.
The form "hautē" can be used specifically to conjugate a nominative case that is of a feminine or masculine gender. Otherwise, the form "tautē" can be used, even when it is also a nominative case (but for a neuter gender). The meaning of the Greek word for "THIS" stays the same whether it is conjugated "hautē" or "tautē", it will just be conjugated differently depending on if it is the subject of a verb for example and if it is attached to a word having a particular gender.
Here are some examples in Matthew in the nominative case but in different genders. Notice how the last one is conjugated "touto" instead of "houtos" or "hautē" simply because it is attached to a neuter word:
hautē: "THIS generation [feminine]" (Matthew 24:34) [hautē 3778 in Greek, nominative case, feminine gender].
houtos: "THIS people [masculine]" (Matthew 15:8) [houtos 3778 in Greek, nominative case, masculine gender].
touto: "THIS cup [neuter]" (Matthew 26:39) [touto 3778 in Greek, nominative case, neuter gender].
Other examples in Matthew using the phrase "THIS generation", conjugated in other cases (because they are simply not the subject of a verb):
tautēn: "THIS generation" (Matthew 23:36) [tautēn 3778 in Greek, accusative case, feminine gender].
tautē: "THIS generation" (Matthew 12:45) [tautē 3778 in Greek, dative case, feminine gender].
tautēs: "THIS generation" (Matthew 12:42) [tautēs 3778 in Greek, genitive case, feminine gender].
The same Greek word for "THIS" [houtos 3778 in Greek] in the conjugated forms of "hautē" or "tautē" can be used interchangeably in the same passage.
For example, it is written in Luke 11: "And (while) the crowds (were) assembling-more, He-began to-say “THIS [hautē 3778 in Greek, nominative case, feminine gender] GENERATION is (an) evil generation. It-is-seeking (a) sign. And (a) sign will not be-given (to) it except the sign (of) Jonah. For as Jonah became (a) sign (to) the Ninevites, so the Son (of) Man also will-be (to) THIS [tautē 3778 in Greek, dative case, feminine gender] GENERATION" (Luke 11:29-30).
In Luke 11:29-30 the only difference between the Greek conjugations of the same Greek word for "THIS" [houtos 3778 in Greek] are that one is conjugated in the nominative case, and the other is conjugated in the dative case. The nominative case simply means that the word is the subject of a verb. Here "THIS [nominative case] generation IS [verb] (an) evil generation" (Luke 11:29). The meaning of the Greek word for "THIS" stays the same whether it is conjugated "hautē" or "tautē".
Consistency with Hebrews 3?
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