(Mat 24:32-34) "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. {33} Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. {34} I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Introduction
The above passage is a portion of a discussion that Jesus had with four of his disciples while they were visiting Jerusalem for the Passover.  It is an important passage in the sense that it seems to put a time frame on a prophetic event, that time frame being a generation.   "All these things" Jesus states, will happen within one generation.   But what are "All these things", what is a generation, and to what generation is being referred?

Background
While in Jerusalem as the disciples were looking at the magnificent buildings which had been recently restored by Herod, they were obviously impressed, and they pointed them out to Jesus.

(Mark 13:1) As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

Jesus gave them an answer which much have shocked and surprised them.

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

Later, when the four disciples were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives looking out over the temple area, the disciples asked Jesus several questions, which are recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

(Matthew 24:3) As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

(Mark 13:4) "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

(Luke 21:7) "Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

Several questions were posed by the disciples, which encompassed two distinct events, the destruction of Jerusalem and the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings.

    1.  When would Jerusalem be destroyed?
    2.  What would be the sign that the destruction is about to happen?
    3.  When will you (Jesus) return?
    4.  What will be the sign that your return is near?

Notice that Mark and Luke ask about the signs for both things, the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of Jesus, while Matthew asks only about the coming of Jesus.  Also, Mark and Luke ask "when will these 'things', (plural) happen, but Matthew asks "when will 'this' (singular) happen".  This difference arises because Matthew wrote his gospel after the destruction of Jerusalem, but Mark and Luke wrote their accounts before the destruction of Jerusalem.  Matthew from his vantage point could now see there was a span of time between the two events, but Mark and Luke could not see this.

Jesus then began to answer the questions, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and his return.  It is important to remember what the questions were in order to determine what Jesus was referring to when he said,  "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

Generation Or Race?
The first thing we have to consider is the actual meaning of the word generation.  The Greek noun genea can be used to mean "generation" meaning a group of people alive during a particular span of years, or it can be used to mean "race" such as the Jewish race or the human race.

Is it possible that Jesus was saying that the Jewish race or the human race would not pass away until the prophetic event in question had been fulfilled?  It doesn't seem likely because there is no hint anywhere in the old or new Testaments that either the Jewish race or the human race would cease to exist before all things were accomplished.  Jesus even states that the final days of this age will be shortened so that the human race will survive.

(Matthew 24:21-22) For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. {22} If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Likewise, the Old Testament leaves no doubt that the Jewish race survives.  God makes it clear that He is with the Jewish people after this age ends.

(Zechariah 8:22-23) And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him." {23} This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'" An Oracle

Certainly Jesus would not assure us of the obvious, so the term generation must refer to a particular group of people who in one generation would see the fulfillment of a prophesied event.  The question remains, which event and what group of people was meant?

What Generation Was Meant?
It seems clear that Jesus was talking about a generation, in the sense of a group of people all living at about the same time.  Many now interpret "this generation" to mean the generation that sees the first of the events that will culminate in the return of Christ and the end of this age.  These events they say are what is referred to when Jesus says, "all these things".  This is because Jesus was talking about future end time events.  But how would the disciples have interpreted the phrase "this generation"?

The disciples would have interpreted "this generation" to mean their generation, because of how Christ said it.  If Christ meant a future generation why didn't he say "that generation"?  The phrase "this generation" clearly refers to the generation of people then alive, and that is how the phrase is used in other passages.  See Mat 11:16; Mat 12:41,42; Mat 23,36; and Mark 8:12 to name a few.  The phrase "this generation" is used 18 times in 18 verses in the New International Version, and it always means the generation living at that time, not a future generation.  When Jesus used the phrase "this generation" elsewhere he was referring to the generation then alive, so why would he use the same words to refer to a future generation?  It seems more reasonable to interpret "this generation" to mean the group of people then alive, than as a group of people in the indefinite future.

Remember the questions the disciples asked?  The first question concerned when would the destruction of Jerusalem occur, and the second question concerned when would Jesus return in glory.  For both events they asked what signs would precede these events.   Jesus gave signs for both events one after the other.  Then after giving the signs he tells them that just as certain as the budding out of the fig tree predicts summer just as certainly the generation then living would see the destruction of Jerusalem.  Immediately after that Jesus refers to back to the second question concerning his return and states, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  (Mark 13:31-32)

If we were to assume as many do, that the generation Jesus referred to was a future generation, perhaps even our generation, then another big problem arises.  When does that generation begin?  Let's face it, no one really knows.  There are no real clues to even give you a hint as to when the clock would start ticking off that generation.   At first it was thought that the clock started when Israel became a nation in 1948.   Predictions were made that Jesus would return by 1988 using the biblical definition of 40 years to be a generation.  When that prediction failed others grasped at the taking of Jerusalem  by the Jews in 1967 as the starting point.  This would mean Jesus would have to return by 2007, and the tribulation, the last seven years of this age, must start before or during the year 2000.  But now we know that is not the case.

So where does all of this leave us?

Summary And Conclusion
I wish I could say to you that the final generation before Christ returns is living now.  What a blessing it would be!  What a privilege!  Like many Christians I look forward to that day.  I really want it to be now!  But, personal feelings aside, I can't say with confidence that we are the last generation.  The reasons for this are as follows.

• There was a fulfillment of one of the prophecies uttered by Christ within the generation of Jews then alive, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem.  This prophecy was in direct reference to the disciples question about when Jerusalem would be destroyed.

• Jesus said, "this generation", not "that generation", which would have made more sense if he meant a future generation.

• There are no conclusive biblical references that can be used to pinpoint when the final generation before Christ's return would begin.   Without a definite starting point, the whole reference to a generation is meaningless.

• There is no conclusive biblical reference as to how long the generation should be.  Should it be 40 years or 70 years?  Or some other number?

• Jesus stated that only the Father knows about the day of the Lord's return.

(Matthew 24:36) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

In light of all this, I feel that Jesus meant the generation of Jews alive at that time would not pass away before all the things said about the onslaught and destruction of Jerusalem would be fulfilled.  The disciples first asked about when would Jerusalem be destroyed and second when would his return be.  Jesus first discussed signs of both events, then in Matthew 24:34, 36 returned to the question of when, answering the questions in the order they were asked, first about Jerusalem in verse 34, and then about his return in verse 36.

Does not having the generation time frame mean that Jesus will not be returning soon?  Absolutely not!  The Jews have returned to their land.  This is the key sign that God has resumed his dealings with Israel.  It is a sign that we may be very near the end of this age, although we don't know how long this period of time will last.   See my commentary Israel, The Greatest Sign, for more details on this.  The final seven years of history could commence at any time, and I believe it will be quite sudden.  So don't stop looking, Jesus is coming, and it could be at any time.  Be ready!  If you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, put your trust and believe in him now.  Become a part of God's family and have the assurance of eternal life with Christ in the place He has prepared for us.  Neither you nor I have any guarantee of having a tomorrow so don't put off the most important decision you may ever make!

Here's how to become part of God's family!