Chapter 5 – Did Jesus Mean ‘This Generation’?

A biblical generation is often understood to span forty years, based on Numbers 32:13 and Jesus promised to return within his generation:

Matthew 24:34 (WNT) I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation [genea¹] will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.

However, some argue that this passage has been misunderstood or mistranslated, resulting in confusion about the timing of these events. Scholars have offered several interpretations, including:

1. Translating “the present generation” as “this race.”
2. Understanding “the present generation” to refer to the generation that witnesses the signs of the end times.
3. Viewing part of the Olivet Discourse as addressing the first century, with the rest awaiting future fulfillment.
4. Proposing that Jesus’ words have a double fulfillment.

We will carefully examine each of these explanations to demonstrate why they do not adequately account for the meaning of Jesus’ words.

“This Generation” or “This Race”?

Dr. Norman Geisler, Ph.D., and others suggest that in Matthew 24:34, the word “generation” should be translated as “race,” referring to a specific group such as the Hebrew, evil, or elect race that will not pass away before Christ’s return.² However, this interpretation conflicts with how Jesus always uses “generation” in the New Testament to describe the people living at that time (e.g., Matthew 1:17; 11:16; 12:39, 41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; Mark 8:12, 38; 9:19; 13:30; Luke 1:48, 50; 7:31; 9:41; 11:29-32, 50-51; 16:8; 17:25; 21:32).³

Moreover, the Greek language has a distinct word for “race” or “kind”—genos—as seen in 1 Peter 2:9: “you are a chosen race [genos].” If Jesus had meant “this race,” He would have used “genos” instead of “genea,” the term for “generation.”

“This Generation” or “That Generation”?

Some interpret “the present generation” in Jesus’ end-time prophecies as referring to “that future generation” or “the generation that sees these signs.”⁴ According to this view, the generation witnessing the signs of the end times would not pass away until all the prophecies were fulfilled.

However, it is important to take into account the disciples’ question in Matthew 24:2-3, Mark 13:1-4, and Luke 21:6-7. The disciples were amazed by the grandeur of the temple buildings. In response, Jesus predicted the destruction of the very temple they were marveling at, declaring that not one stone would be left upon another. This prompted Peter, James, John, and Andrew to ask Jesus privately when these events would take place and what signs would accompany them.

Given that Jesus was clearly referring to the destruction of the temple they were discussing, it makes sense that “the present generation” referred to the one alive at that time, which would witness these events. Remarkably, the temple was destroyed approximately 40 years later, during the disciples’ first-century generation—fulfilling Jesus’ prediction that “not one stone would be left on another.” This strongly suggests that Jesus’ words about “the present generation” applied to the events surrounding the temple’s downfall.

Both scripture and history support the idea that the disciples believed they were living in the end times. Daniel Morais, Ph.D., a scholar and founder of the Revelation Revolution Foundation, argues that historical accounts confirm the disciples’ generation witnessed the fulfillment of all the end-time signs.⁵ In the book of Acts, Peter cites the prophet Joel, affirming that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and other last days signs were occurring in their generation (Acts 2:15-17). Similarly, the author of Hebrews describes the period as “these last days” when God speaks through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). The apostle John even declares it is the “final hour” and mentions the presence of antichrists:

1 John 2:18 (WEB) Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.

John even refers to himself as a “partner in the tribulation.”

Revelation 1:9 (BSB) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.

Even early church fathers like Eusebius and Epiphanius confirm that first-century Christians believed they were living in the end times. Eusebius records how believers, following a divine revelation, fled Jerusalem to the town of Pella to escape its destruction.⁶ Similarly, Epiphanius of Salamis, a church father writing in 377 AD, recounts their flight:

…after the exodus from Jerusalem when all the disciples went to live in Pella because Christ had told them to leave Jerusalem and to go away since it would undergo a siege. Because of this advice they lived in Perea after having moved to that place, as I said (Epiphanius, Panarion 29,7,7-8).⁷

Though the fortified city was usually the safest place during a war, the disciples’ faith in Jesus’ prophecy about their generation led them to safety. Their trust in Jesus’ words and their understanding of the signs validates their interpretation of the events they witnessed.

Considering all this evidence, it is evident that the disciples witnessed the signs of the end times in their own generation. Thus, “the present generation” in Jesus’ prophecy referred to their contemporaries and could not have passed away until all these events had been fulfilled.

Two Returns?

World Video Bible School, a popular source of Christian edification, and scholars like Dr. Thomas D. Ice, Ph.D., suggest that Jesus’ Olivet Discourse addresses two separate events: the fall of the temple in the first century and a distant, future return of Christ.⁸ They interpret the disciples’ question in Matthew 24:3 as divided into two distinct parts, as marked below:

Matthew 24:3 (BSB) While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “[1] when will these things happen, and [2] what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

According to this view, the first part of the question concerns the destruction of the temple and Jesus’ symbolic return in the first century. The second part, they argue, pertains to a third coming of Christ, at an unknown time, to bring about the end of the world. This division supposedly begins at Matthew 24:36, which they interpret as shifting to a discussion of this future, global event.

However, Jesus’ own words challenge this theory. In Luke 21:36, Jesus urged His followers to watch and pray so they could escape the events that were “about to” occur and stand before the Son of Man. This warning directly corresponds to Matthew 24:36 and the surrounding verses, which proponents of the “third coming” theory claim refer to a distant future.

Luke 21:36 (BSB) So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Moreover, examining the accounts of the Olivet Discourse in Mark and Luke undermines the idea of dividing the question into two unrelated parts. Both Mark 13:2-4 and Luke 21:5-7 make it clear that the disciples were asking about when the temple would fall and what would be the sign that it was about to fall, not the temple’s fall and the end of the world.

Mark 13:2-4 (BSB) “Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3 While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”

Luke 21:5-7 (BSB) As some of the disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts, Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

Jesus provided an answer indicating that the temple would fall within their generation and instructed them to watch for his return on the clouds as a sign that the temple’s destruction was imminent (Matthew 24:30,32-34 BSB).

Why They Must Watch

Jesus wanted his disciples to watch for his coming (Mark 13:32-37), but not for their entertainment or so they could quickly get their act together the day they saw him. Jesus said his return would be like the days of Noah when Noah hid in the ark, and the flood swept the rest away (Matthew 24:37-42; Luke 17:26-27). He said it would be like the day Lot fled Sodom before the city burned (Luke 17:24-37). The disciples must carefully watch because they had to be ready to flee Judea to the mountains to save themselves from Jerusalem’s destruction (Matthew 24:15-18; Luke 17:30-33; 21:20-22). Otherwise, they would be like Lot’s wife who hesitated and turned into a pillar of salt or like those swept away in Noah’s flood. The return of Christ was their signal to escape. If he did not show up before the armies encompassed Jerusalem, they would be trapped inside and destroyed along with it.

Luke 17 Prohibits a Division

Luke 17:22-37 challenges the idea that Matthew 24 can be neatly divided into two separate sections addressing different time periods. In Luke’s account, similar statements from what some interpret as distinct sections of Matthew 24 are rearranged and interwoven, blending references to events of 70 AD with those often attributed to a distant future.

The Berean Bible Church of Virginia Beach offers a compelling illustration against dividing the Olivet Discourse:

Those who attempt to divide Matthew 24 say that SECTION ONE refers to the events of AD 70. But they say SECTION TWO refers to events yet future to us. If the five prophetic events of Matthew 24 that are found in Luke 17 are numbered 1-2-3-4-5, Luke’s numbering of the same events would be 2-4-1-5-3. Luke has an event from section 1 followed by one from section 2, then another from section 1 followed by section 2, and finally one from section 1. This shows the impossibility of dividing Matthew 24 with a 2,000 year gap.⁹

By comparing Luke 17 with Matthew 24, it becomes clear that Jesus was not describing separate events or returns. Instead, He assured His disciples of a singular return—a definitive sign within their generation. This return served as a warning tied directly to the destruction of the temple they had been marveling at, prompting them to heed His instructions to flee. The interwoven nature of the accounts confirms the unity of the prophecy and invalidates attempts to impose a division.

Dual Fulfillment

Several scholars believe some Old Testament prophecies have dual fulfillments. Could Jesus’ prophecy have a dual fulfillment?

Unfortunately, there is no indication in Jesus’ promises that he also implied a second fulfillment. He explicitly stated that the Great Tribulation would never occur again.

Matthew 24:21 (WNT) for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again.

If the world would never be in such distress again, then Jesus had one fulfillment in mind.

Summary

In conclusion, the attempts to reinterpret Jesus’ words about His return fall short. Here’s a summary of the reasons why:

• Jesus consistently used the term “generation” to refer to His contemporaries and deliberately avoided the Greek word for “race” (genos), indicating He was referring to a specific timeframe, not a broad or indefinite group.
• Ignoring the first-century generation as the one that witnessed the end-time signs dismisses compelling biblical and historical evidence supporting their fulfillment of those events.
• In Luke’s account of the Olivet Discourse, even the statements often interpreted as distant prophecies are described as imminent. Both Mark and Luke show that the disciples were asking about the timing and signs of the temple’s destruction—not a distant, apocalyptic event. Jesus instructed them to watch for His return as the signal to flee Jerusalem’s destruction within their generation. Moreover, attempts to divide the discourse into separate timeframes collapse when comparing Matthew 24 with Luke 17, where events from both supposed sections are interwoven, making a division impossible.
• Jesus declared that the Great Tribulation would be unparalleled and never repeated, clearly implying a singular fulfillment of His prophecy rather than multiple fulfillments.

Considering these factors, it becomes clear that only one answer adequately explains Jesus’ words: He promised to return before their generation passed. To claim He did not return as promised raises serious questions about His identity as the Messiah and the reliability of His prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).

As believers, we must avoid repeating the Pharisees’ mistake of rejecting Jesus’ first coming because it defied their expectations.¹⁰ Could we, in a similar way, be dismissing the fulfillment of His second coming for the same reason? Believers should be prepared to defend the gospel (1 Peter 3:15) and carefully consider how Christ fulfilled the promise of His coming within their generation, rather than dismissing it outright.

Footnotes