Matthew24:34

The word used here means “generation or age.” Another possibility is “race,” but is not the main idea of the word.  Context must determine which one is meant. In this verse “a generation of men” is the most natural meaning. Although Jesus has been speaking about the completion of that former age or era, this verse cannot refer to the “age” in that sense because it is accompanied by a verb that does not fit with the concept of fulfillment, rather the verb describes the “passing away” of men. Some commentators and translators have seen in this word the concept of “race,” but it is quite a stretch to force that meaning upon this sentence, and it creates more confusion that it resolves. The most natural meaning of this word in this context is “generation.”

If you believe this discourse is primarily about “end times” with a little bit about the destruction of the temple just to get us confused, these last two verses make no sense and all attempts to reconcile them to what we know fall short. However, if you see this discourse primarily as an explanation of what mattered most to the disciples, i.e. the end of the age in which they lived (the age of the Law) and the inauguration of the next era, then it makes perfect sense. He was letting His disciples know that the destruction of the temple and the acceptance of the gospel throughout the known world would be the confirmation they were seeking, but it would not come right away, it would be delayed. However, the delay would not stretch out for lifetimes; the confirmation would come within the reasonable life span of their generation. If we see it as the confirmation they desired, not only does it make sense, but it was fulfilled with complete accuracy.

This was one of the few times that God gave a window of time in which the action would be fulfilled. The other time that comes to mind was when He told the Israelite prophets that they would be in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. It turned out to be 67 years or 70 years, depending on which events you choose as starting and stopping points. Usually God does not tell us when something will happen, only that it will.

The use of the word “generation” in this verse is considered by many to be one of the most difficult statements to interpret in the New Testament. However, it is quite easy to understand if you keep in mind how the passage begins and the questions Jesus was answering. The “signs of the end of the age” refer to the fulfillment of the age they were still in, the age of the Law. The reason some writers have sought to interpret the use of the word “generation” in this verse as a “race” is that they have assumed this discourse, or this part of the discourse, is primarily about events still in the future. If we see it as answers to the concerns the disciples had about the fulfillment of the era in which they were living, with a bit of double fulfillment added in, it makes perfect sense. The problem is not the word Jesus used here; the problem is our assumptions about this passage as a whole.

Those who try to make this use of the phrase “this generation” mean “this race” ignore the fact that Jesus started the statement by waving a yellow flag and saying, “Pay attention, this is going to be important.” He was giving His disciples the assurance they desired, even though His kingship and the demonstrations of His power were going to be different than they expected. Most of Jesus’ ministry was different than they expected. He did not fit in their carefully constructed box, nor anyone else’s box. He called for special focus on these words because He was about to give them another confirmation, and this one would be more personal. Amidst all their questions as to whether or not He was the true Messiah He was offering some points of confirmation and here He was telling them that they would happen within the lifespan of those among them that lived to old age. His call for them to pay attention seems irrelevant if you choose to interpret this as the human race, but it fits perfectly if you see it as referring to their generation.

What are we to make of the words “all these things?” Two of their requests were a confirming sign of the revelation of His power and a confirming sign for the end of the era in which they were living. Both would be fulfilled, at least in part, in AD 70.

You and I have knowledge that His disciples did not have; we know that there will be an additional fulfillment of Jesus’ words in parts of Matthew 24 beyond what happened in AD 70. Such double fulfillments can be seen in various cases in the Bible (See the example of Isaiah 7:14). Some aspects of what was said will be fulfilled later which were left unfulfilled in AD 70.

If we focus solely on the fact that the revelation of Jesus’ complete power would have a double fulfillment, the words “all these things” cause us problems. But if we put ourselves in the place of those who first heard His words, they make perfect sense. The purpose of the Bible study method I employ is to interpret what was written as closely as possible to how the original audience would have interpreted it. I believe doing so enables us to understand the difficult parts of Scripture; like this one.

Consider the parallel passage in Mt 16:27-28 where Jesus says: http://www.toughbiblestuff.org/verse/matthew-1627-2/

Matthew 16:28

Notice that in this instance Jesus did not use the words “this generation,” rather He said, “there are some of the ones standing here who no not will taste death until…” This helps us understand that in Matthew 24 the use of “this generation” means exactly what it sounds like it means. It also tells us that Mt 16:28, is also talking about the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

This tells me that we are too stuck on a final judgment and don’t think enough about the other ways God judges us on a daily basis, punishing or rewarding what we have done, in order to draw us to Him while there is still time for repentance. Such judgment is going on constantly and there will also be a final judgment; the Bible includes both.

In Matthew 24, seeing Jesus “coming in His kingdom” does not mean the end of time as we know it. His “kingship” means that which He rules over. The phrase “in His kingdom” has to do with Jesus using His power and authority to accomplish His goal of ruling in the hearts of men, one person at a time. I hope that He is ruling as king in your life in a true and complete way.

The completion of one era and the inauguration of a new era were a big deal; not just any powerful person could accomplish this. Kings and conquerors had come and gone without bringing their age to completion and initiating the next one. So what Jesus was claiming was a big deal and it meant He was indeed the Messiah they had been waiting for even though He did not free them from Roman rule as they had expected a Messiah to do. This was such a big event that it was accompanied by very impressive and impactful signs of confirmation (the elimination of the sacrificial system and the spread of the Gospel through the known-world). Such powerful signs were indeed indications of the true power of Jesus and a demonstration of His true purpose – to rule in the hearts of men, not over kingdoms and governments.

Here are some examples of what Jesus likely meant when He talked about “the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” When Paul arrived at a new city and the Gospel message he shared was well received, resulting in many converts, that was Jesus “coming in His kingdom.” When the door was opened for Paul to share the Gospel with Caesar’s family, and possibly Caesar himself, that was Jesus coming in His kingdom. In the book of Acts, when God visited punishment on people such as Ananias and Sapphira, the magician who tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit, or King Herod when people called him a god and he did not stop them, this was Jesus “coming in His kingdom.”

The same could be said about 70 AD and the destruction of the temple; it was a demonstration of God’s power to fulfill His purpose, which, in that case, was the removal of the sacrificial system to leave only the sacrifice of Jesus. That was Jesus “coming in His kingdom.” Any time in which we see Jesus or God fulfilling His purpose it can be referred to as Jesus “coming in His kingdom.” This is true of small things as well as big things. The destruction of the temple was a big one.

Get ready! This is sure to blow your mind. Take a deep breath. Are you ready now? Well, ready or not here it comes.

According to the Gospels the first coming of Jesus was when a virgin girl birthed Him as a helpless little baby; according to Mt chapters 16 and 24 His second coming was the destruction of the temple in AD 70, and we are now awaiting His third coming!!! What we have always called His “second coming” will actually be His third major coming because we have totally ignored the second one!

Ok, you can pick your teeth up off the floor and return them to their proper place now – even if you don’t have dentures.

I’m not joking about the second and third coming. In my opinion that is the only way to understand Matthew chapter 24 and Mt 16:28.

The Jews did not expect their Messiah to come as a baby – they missed it. They did not expect Him to die as a criminal – they missed it. Neither we nor they expected His confirmation of the end of the age of the Law by way of His second coming to be so ugly and impersonal – we missed it!

I give you permission to keep calling the next big event the “second coming” around other people because if you call it the “third coming” they will think you have lost your marbles. They will accuse you of only having two brain cells, and what’s worse, one brain cell is lost and the other is out lookin’ for it! (I borrowed that from Emerson Eggeriches.) But while I’m OK with you continuing to use the phrase “second coming” I want you to know deep down inside that it is more accurate biblically to call it the third coming. I suggest you don’t tell someone about the “third coming” idea unless you have plenty of time to develop the topic fully, or direct them to this Bible app if they are hungry to learn and willing to consider new ideas. Whether we call it the second or the third coming is not worth arguing about.

I have told you this because it is what I see coming out of these Scripture passages. In no way did I go looking for a “third coming.” If you search the Bible for the phrase “second coming” or “coming a second time” guess how many occurrences you will find?  Zero!

If we want to find a different phrase, one to replace “second coming” maybe we could just say His “coming again,” for that phrase is indeed biblical.