Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Let us remember the ministry of God's temple class is Spirit, not things of the flesh. This sounds hard, but, it is vital to understand once Christ conquered the sins of the flesh, perfectly he was rewarded by God eternal life in the Spirit. Those things pertaining to the flesh, were conqueror, death by life Christ in the Spirit.

All power of life and death was stripped by Christ from this earth conquered away from Satan system of things including the Israel of old power through laws of the flesh. Death had lost its power over Christ life, the power of all government, religion, and anything else on this earth could not once again judge, and conqueror Christ incorruptible eternal life, which, please understand, is the very power of his kingdom.

Christ life, kingdom, conquerors this world in his body members, that is, his life in them. Nothing can have have a hold on Christ life, nothing in our flesh and/or the judgment of this world can condemn Christ. If he is for us, who indeed can be against us?

The flesh, our flesh is in a coffin, nothing in our dead body helps us conquer this world, no works, no thought of prophecy, no sign we see physically, no thought from that body dead in that coffin can save us.

We are given, a new life, an new mind, a new person in Spirit and truth. Nothing in that coffin is Spirit and truth. We know no person of Christ by the flesh any longer. The race has been won for us long ago, the salvation earned by Christ merit. The problem is can we rest, keeping that dead body dead? Do we have the faith, all things are done, completed in Christ towards us, when tested in our flesh?

Rather, we understand or not our discipline from our Father will have certain success. The planting is by God's word, the seed cannot be conquered by the flesh again, it is dead in a coffin having no power over life. The repentance for God's anointed is once for all time, we are now being sanctified in Christ life it is his minister as our high priest through the perfecting of our faith that cleanses from all dead works found in that coffin. We do not put away the filth of our flesh from a dead body. It has no workable power in Christ to do so. Faith and any other fruit of God's Holy Spirit is the gifts of God to Christ body for those walking in Spirit and truth, the Christ.

Our very faith is supplied to us by our head, the same faith found in all the body, there is only one faith in Christ, as we are in one body. Who than can separate us from the love of Christ, certain not our flesh dead, judged, put into a coffin so we can say good bye to it, look at its worthlessness with no life power to help us or save us, nothing in something dead remains, it can't save us. We must rest from our works of our dead flesh in Christ life he is not dead, he is life. We must be able as God's children to separate our flesh from Christ Spirit, the same is true of our thoughts.

The process of perfecting the faith is not in the power of the flesh, we are sheep lead to the slaughter each day, the flesh fights the Spirit, it kills our faith, we must wait not in the power of our flesh, we are hopeless in our flesh it can't raise itself though it tries over and over again fighting over scriptures, pointing fingers at others weakness, judging and all the the stuff common to all flesh, but until its said:

“ I can't save myself under going this death from my flesh by any work, I will rest in Christ life, which is worthy, has merit, has paid for me in spirit, which life in me given free while I was dead that cannot be conquered by the corruption of the flesh. Faith from the Holy Spirit in Christ body will be given us, we will rise again in Christ.

This is the process, we all in Christ undergo, for the perfection of complete trust and faith in our Father Jehovah. When we only see the flesh of our brothers and sisters, we should understand, we can't judge something dead in a coffin even though the test is evil as it may be in their flesh we cannot determine what God is perfecting in the spirit of Christ body member.

Sadly the flesh and its prophecy puts all thing off into another time frame stopping the process that Christ is ruling and working in his body for thousand's of years. The real truth, the real hard lifting, the power of his kingdom, were nothing is lacking the flesh put back into a dead body physically by looking to signs, and or what ever else it takes too put the works back into the ministry of the flesh waiting for test, the day of salvation, a prophets, in the flesh, back into time tables for the truth to start really happening in a dead body, producing dead works.

Let us be clear, it was the bring back the old, into the new that caused the apostasy, of what Christ created new. The main issue of the Greek scriptures in not prophecy, and making it fit into Christ. It was the rejection of the flesh as corrupted, and conquered by Christ, by his anointed being made righteous, sinless, by the new, the new covenant.

Christ is the fulfillment of all the prophets, the Hebrew scriptures, everything in them pictured, and pointed to Christ the better complete salvation for mankind found in death from the sin of their corrupt flesh past on to us by Adam. Every example in the Hebrew writing that please God was by faith, not flesh. That faith is a powerful help to God's anointed.

The evil of the flesh found in the Hebrew writing are warning examples that are killed in Christ that is the only way to escape judgment. It is not by a constant discipline or harsh treatment of the flesh that salvation in Christ is gotten.

The discipline of God children is not for destruction, or out of hate for what God's chosen them for and cherish by Christ as body members. It is the evil of the flesh, and its judgments in trying to make its self righteous that causes the same problems for the anointed as it did those in the Hebrew writing.

Here is what I think is the problem. The patterns of faith and disobedience of the Hebrew writings which benefit God's children. It seems some want to say; salvation comes to God's children by signs of prophecy a mixture of both Hebrew and Greek writing.

Those prophecy leads us to Christ, and in Christ is the fulfillment of them because we have life now, in Christ, we are saved, those are Christ words, not some human being words.

John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:47 Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.

John 10:28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

1 John 5:11 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

Seeking further signs to be saved by is saying coming to Christ is not enough exactly what the WTS teaches, and all false religion teaches. To state God's children are rejecting the Hebrew scriptures is not truthful at all. Those holy writing teach us how great of salvation we have in Christ, and when we are in the flesh, and when we are discipline in our flesh for the same rebellion that all flesh has.

But that does not mean, salvation comes through those prophecy fulfill in Christ as the end game our salvation already delivered to us in Spirit. The WTS has a million of people trying to save themselves by bible teachings, that is, knowledge, they call accurate knowledge that is their salvation without those works, without constantly looking to salvation in the Hebrew writings and applying those prophecy to yet future times and dated for their salvation by their works they do in believing and teaching them to others.

Hebrews 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation--which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 1:13 in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation,--in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Romans 10:10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

They do not rest in Christ, because the flesh cannot trust Christ he is not enough. They go out into the desert away from the only means of salvation Christ body, in every event happening on earth justifying and forming it around prophecy to save themselves by their own works.

1Pet.1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1:4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
1:5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1:6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,
1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--
1:8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory--
1:9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
1:11 searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.
1:12 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action,{literally, "gird up the waist of your mind"} be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ--
1:14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
1:15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
1:16 because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."{Leviticus 11:44-45}
1:17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear:
1:18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
1:19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;
1:20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,
1:21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
1:22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
1:24 For, "All flesh is like grass, and all of man's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
1:25 but the Lord's word endures forever."{Isaiah 40:6-8} This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

1Cor.10:1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
10:2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
10:3 and all ate the same spiritual food;
10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
10:5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
10:7 Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."{Exodus 32:6}
10:8 Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
10:9 Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.
10:10 Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
10:11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn't fall.
10:13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
10:15 I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.
10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, isn't it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn't it a sharing of the body of Christ?
10:17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.

It was a crooked generation that looked for signs, what signs, and for what reason? We must remember Christ was made into the likeness of sinful flesh, not flesh without sin. He carried our sins, God's anointed in Christ are made the same. This is why Paul reminded the brothers and sisters above that they had what was common among all mankind including past generation of Israel that rebelled against God.

1Cor. 4:9 For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

But let us not forget, with God's anointed, he had separated the flesh from the Spirit by his own rule of law. Christ life, picture by the blood purchased us, killing the flesh; its judgment. But that does not mean we don't suffer in our flesh what is common to all mankind like the various trials Israel suffered and went through.

That is much different than using mathematical time tables and events to predict which generation and/or dates of the end of this world that were fulfilled in the old law, we are not judged by the sabbath rest day and all he events surrounding dates for various temple services, yet, many Christian's still uses them.

The judgment the house of God is under is very much for the same issues in our flesh that all human deal with. That is why Paul and other did allude to fleshly Israel many times in their writings, but with one big distinction? What is that? That all of Christ body members would under go judgment and everything not of Christ would be exposed as false, but they themselves would be saved.

1Cor.3:11 For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12 But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble;
3:13 each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is.
3:14 If any man's work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. 3:15 If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire. 3:16 Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you?

That is why we don't judge our brothers and sisters, because as Paul once again explained, he could not judge himself, in Christ he was part of Christ body, and his judgment was not valid, he was not the head, and he did not pay for himself. Nor should we judge anything before its time, because it is Christ job as the head to reveal in each body member his work.

1Cor.4:1 So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries. 4:2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful. 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I don't judge my own self. 4:4 For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord. 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

Christ time on earth was not a time of exultation it was called in the book of Isaiah a time of humiliation, and those of his body can, and are told they would experience the same treatment in their flesh as Christ, life, and death, sheep lead to slaughter.

Heb.4:1 Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.
4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn't profit them, because it wasn't mixed with faith by those who heard. 4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;"{Psalm 95:11} although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4:4 For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, "God rested on the seventh day from all his works;"{Genesis 2:2}
4:5 and in this place again, "They will not enter into my rest."{Psalm 95:11}
4:6 Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 4:7 he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), "Today if you will hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."{Psalm 95:7-8} 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 4:9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 4:10 For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.

That pattern of disobedience is found in all fallen flesh, we are born into it, and we know how God dealt with it by past examples. We must conquer in Christ what they failed to conqueror by lack of faith.

God rest is not physical or the works of our flesh. It is entering into another person spiritual body, and doing the works of love in a paradise through the will of that body. In paradise are only works of life, with blessings and not curses. The opposite of where Adam was put outside the paradise in his disobedience to God.

The ground was cursed, there was hard labor and death, and no blessings of eternal life. No peace, but war, hatred, jealousy, ambition, pride, fits of anger, things that cannot be in Christ. The Holy Spirit does not consort with the lust of the fallen flesh. The flesh must stay dead in Christ to enter into paradise, where life and the ways of war found in all flesh is dead.

False religion mix two elements and calls evil good. Over one hundred years ago the WTS was formed, within that group were very honest and sincere men and woman that wanted to warn the world of the end of their world. They planted flesh, not intentionally they believed strongly in their prophecies, stating that one could not enter into God's rest, without their understanding of truth. They had the light, they were in the truth, which the logical follows we have some truth we must be entitled to all truth from our efforts to studied the scriptures faithfully.

They enter into their own works for rest, the ground fertile for weeds and thorns, everyone associated with them would be stuck with many painful problems found in all flesh in the soil outside the paradise. Where corruptible of yeast permeates the whole lump, a good tree “cannot” bear bad fruit, and corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit of paradise, eternal life, with no curse.

One hundred years before that, another group did the same, with the hopes of saving the world by their reading faithfully the signs, and hundred years before that still another group, and another, and another clear back to Christ time. All marked by not resting in Christ and letting him be the head, all boasting of being servants of Christ proudly, and all got it wrong. They debated, they fought, they ruin peoples lives slander each others, and pronounced harsh judgments upon each other totally opposite of those in Christ.

What is about each generation that lets them think they are better, smarter, enlighten more, and of course chosen? All the opposites of Christ personality in Spirit and truth. All of them are in captivity to the flesh, but they have mind that can read the bible, so that means they are not in the flesh, but the tree boldly shows the fruit to be a lie.

The flesh fears death, it fears trusting in God, it fears not having every little bit of knowledge in the bible, it must have a rock solid answer for every problem found in the bible, because it can't trust God without it. God tricks people, because people trick people, God is out to get them, he will mock and say when the end comes: “why didn't you have knowledge of this point, if you had it I would give you life.”

The same flesh born of Eve believing evil of God withholding knowledge something she was entitled to, all of it, not what is needed, but all of it now! She declared herself, good and faithful, she should be entrusted with the saying of life, not her husband, but her.

Than the first century congregation same problem same spirit of the flesh constantly trying to make it a weed patch putting each member back into captivity outside of Christ, seeking personal salvation by knowledge. Mixing some leaven into unleavened calling it paradise, but in their flesh was another spirit, not one from above but all the way back to the started of evil of Adam and Eve life outside of paradise.

You see, those in Christ understand they have both, Christ life, and captivity of the flesh. It is only by God's undeserved kindness we can be in Christ, and still have all the wars and fights in our flesh, blotted out because of Christ life purchased us from captivity. That war is God's plan, to break up the works of the Devil the fallen flesh, bring each thought under his Son's rulership, where the last enemy will be destroyed death from where? Found in our flesh, found in spirit son's of God who rebelled against the truth.

God's children can be lead by Spirit into truth, but at the same time the flesh can mislead them, because they have both life and death indwelling them, it is only God's undeserved kindness that their time in the flesh is not charged against them, for the love of Christ, the love the Father has for Christ, and what he gave to us.

Truth is not fighting over doctrine, even if a person wins the debate, the things used to get there are not life, but the power of the flesh, life does not come from flesh, it come by Spirit. The flesh want complete control and power over any dissension, how does it get it? Just like the fatal mistake of all religion by power of the flesh, making people bow down, or be kicked out, just like the governments of the earth, and just like business. Not one person in Christ got their by knowledge, or prophecy, or signs, they got there by the one thing the flesh just hates, God's love, his kindness, his own goodness in mercy. That is what was lost by the first century congregation that cause all the weeds of division. We don't have to have perfect truth, knowing every little detail of God's word, but if we don't have love, like Eve, we are deceived and the light is not in us.

First one has to be dead in their flesh to move on into Christ the deep things of Christ. When one puts bible into flesh it comes up yeast every time. Christ congregation in the Spirit was never destroyed by Satan, only those in the flesh. No person loose the heavenly calling because of Satan adding flesh to the teaching of Christ.

Simply because one cannot understand the subject of undeserved kindness, unmerited kindness, in their flesh, does not mean, it does not exist. You and me cannot get into Christ on any merit but his. Once in Christ if you go back to person merit out of your flesh you better be able judge yourself properly before judging other in Christ. how to separate the two. If not your judgment are incorrect.

Because you don't believe in God's undeserved kindness, meaning we are left in our flesh which is captivity, not matter how you cut it

Part Three

Matt.24:32 "Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near. 24:33 Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
24:34 Most certainly I tell you, this generation{The word for "generation" (genea) can also be translated as "race."} will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Here are some problems we are faced with. .1) Christ is the new creation the news heavens and earth started with Christ death and resurrection.

God YHWH created all things new “in Christ”. 2.) the old heavens and earth, which were represented by the earthly temple and the law was removed, by Christ death and resurrection. Christ fulfilled the law and put away the sacrifice of the old earthly temple of God's. He started a new creation, a new temple in his body, and its members. Worshiping in Spirit and truth.

The signs also changed, and/or were fulfilled when the new heavens and earth were put over his body members in Christ, which old signs ended in the destruction of God's earthly temple. And 3.) God did not put new wine into old wine skins. This is the reason after Christ none of his apostles spoke of those signs again in any of their writings point specific, verbatim.

We must take the scriptures that the apostles wrote and make them fit into those old signs, that is, the new heavens teaching from into the old heavens and its signs fulfilled in Christ. The WTS makes those signs the main event for our day. Yet the main event for those in the new temple and under the rulership of the new heaven in Christ, with a new covenant, and new law did not. The main event for them was keeping the old covenant and its laws fulfill out of the new creation.
Subsequently, this is why for most people the book of Revelation seems so out of context to all the point specific signs given on earth for the old heavens and earth. The old signs have without doubt mislead entire nations upon earth when applied to the anointed temple body of Christ.

Once again this is the reason none of us have all the information yet we have a hazes outline that we must apply to signs around us in our time period, which may or may not be accurate. Moreover, false religion is mixing two separate covenant for some two thousand's years just as the WTS has done from its own conception.

"This Generation" and it's Preterits Exegetical Misuse

by Bob DeWaay

Several years ago I published an article about
Matthew 24:34 where I claimed that “this generation”
was a pejorative term about rebellious Jewish leadership.

In today’s article I will support that claim by providing a range of meaning study of the term “generation” (Greek genea) as used in the New Testament. I will show that the term “generation” i
s most often used in the New Testament in a qualitative (people of the same kind) not quantitat ive (people of the same time) sense.
The Greek word for generation is found 37 times in the NewTestament. Only five of these are outside of the gospels and Acts. As with most words, it has a range of meaning depending on its context. When used in the plural, it denotes “succeeding generati
ons of people” whether past or future and is used that
way 8 times in the NT.

Of the 29 other instances of its use, the term clearly means during someone’s lifetime or era — twice ( Acts 8:33 about Messiah and
Acts 13:36 about David’s generation). It is the other 27 instances that will be important to help us understand how Matthew used the term in Matthew 24:34
.
This passage is identical in the synoptics: “ Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass a way until all these things take place
” ( Matthew 24:34 Luke 21:32 Mark 13:30 ), all from the Olivet discourse.

The passage in Matthew is most commonly cited by preterists as proof that the prophecies Jesus gave had to have been fulfilled within forty years or a generation of people then living (70 A.D. they say).

Taken that way, the term “generation” is a quantita
tive time modifier only. I will provide evidence that
this interpretation is wrong. Besides these three cases under dispute, there remain 24 other times that genea is used in the New Testament. These will be the key to understanding
Matthew 24:34 and the synoptic parallels.

The term genea is used most often in the New Testament in a pejorative sense. In those cases when “generation” is used pejoratively (often with modifiers like “evil, unbelieving, perverse,” etc.) it functions as a qualitative statement about a group
of people. Though often, but not always, addressed to
people then living, the key idea is the spiritual condition of the people, not the number of their years or the time of their living. The meaning in these cases is “an ethnic group exhibiting cultural similarities —‘people of the same kind.’”

When used this way in the New Testament, the similarities are always bad characteristics. There are some cases where the
ideas of “people of the same time” and “people of the same kind” are combined. For example, in Luke 11:29-32 we see a negative characterization of those who demanded a sign: And as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so shall the Son of Man be to this generation.

The Queen of the South shall rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”

Though clearly referring to those who witnessed Jesus yet did not believe Him, the key idea is their wickedness—not just when they were alive. I say that because “this generation” does not apply to all
Jews or all people then living. Some believed; those will not be condemned at the final judgment.

Amazingly, all 24 of the cases of the use of “generation” in the New Testament that do not refer to 230 succeeding generations or obviously to someone’s lifetime, are qualitative or have a strong qualitative component.

In none of these usages does “generation” mean “all people without exception alive at the same time” nor do they mean “all Jews without exception.” The qualitative idea is seen, for example, in
this passage: “And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light ” (Luke 16:8 ). The NASB translated “ genea – generation” as “kind.” Paul used the term the same way here: “ that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world ” (Philippians 2:15).

He is discussing a type of person, not a period of history. This passage applies to all Christians throughout church history. When conducting a range of meaning study, as we are here, it is of foremost importance to know how the same author used a term, particularly in the same piece of writing and in similar contexts.

Therefore, how Matthew used genea in passages previous to
Matthew 24:34 is the strongest evidence for his meaning there. The first four usages (excluding 1:17 where the plural is used referring to ageneaology) are in Matthew 12:39-45:

But He answered and said to them, “ An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it , because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and behold, something greater than
Solomon is here.

Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes, and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with
this evil generation.”

The qualitative dimension to these usages is undeniable. It was spoken in response to the Pharisees demanding a sign. Its application is not limiting “ generation” to people alive whoever they may be or
for however long they may live, but applies to those (like the parallel passage in Luke previously discussed) who refused to believe Christ and remain ed therefore under God’s judgment. The next usage in Matthew is in 16:4: “‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.’ And He left them, and went away.”

This is a repetition of the previous condemnation in chapter 12 and also characterizes people by their spiritual qualities not merely when they lived in history (people of the same kind is the more prominent idea, not people of the same time). The sign of Jonah is a reference to the death, burial and resurrection of
Christ. That event is the sign that He is the Messiah. This sign applies to every generation, not just to those of the first century. Paul said, “Jews seek for signs” but Paul preached Christ crucified (1Corinthians 1:22, 23 ). The cross of Christ became the definitive sign and those who reject that sign (anytime in church history) come under condemnation .

In Matthew 17:17 we read: “ And Jesus answered and said, ‘O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me’
” This was not spoken directly to the disciples alone, but to the
general unbelief He found in Israel. Some scholars think “unbelieving and perverted” are allusions to Deuteronomy 32:5, 20.

The same Greek word for “perverted” is found in both Matthew and the LXX of Deuteronomy. The allusion to Deuteronomy
shows the idea of corporate solidarity. Their unbelief when Jesus was present doing mighty deeds echoes the unbelief of those who were delivered from Egypt by God’s mighty deeds and then grumbled
in the wilderness. Moses wrote, “ They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are
a perverse and crooked generation ” (Deuteronomy 32:5 – “generation” is genea in the LXX). Since this was part of Moses’ song it was not just for people then
alive but future generations: “ For I know that after my death you will act corrupt ly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 31:9 ). The people in Jesus’ day had the same characteristics as those in Moses’ day and those carried on after Jesus’ ascension just as they did after Moses ’ death. The next usage of genea in Matthew is also in a passage that links current negative qualities to people with similar qualities from other times in Israel’s history:

Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things shall come
upon this generation .” (Matthew 23:34-36)

This passage is clearly cross generational. It goes from the distant past (Cain’s treatment of Abel) to the future (I am sending . . . you will kill). What characterizes “this generation” in Matthew 23:36
(the closest parallel usage of genea to that in Matthew 24:34
) is not how many years certain people were alive, but their spiritual qualities. Those who rejected Jesus and had Him killed are of the same kind as those who killed the righteous throughout Old Testament history and those who would kill Jesus’ representatives in the future. What all these people have in common is not the era of history they live in, but their negative, spiritual characteristics.
This is a vivid example of the qualitative use of “generation” in Matthew and elsewhere in the New Testament and in the Old as well.

Having seen that throughout Matthew genea is used qualitatively, often in connection with pejorative adjectives, we have established how Matthew used the term within its range of meanings. Let us
therefore examine Matthew 24:34 and see if there is reason to believe Matthew suddenly changed his usage. The passage says “
Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass a way until all these things take place .” Which generation? – Those who happened to be alive whoever they might be? The only other time we find that usage of genea in the New Testament is in Acts 8:33 and 13:36 when it is
attached to the lives of specifically mentioned persons (Messiah and David). Everywhere else the term “generation” used in the singular it has qualitativ e connotations. Preterits who take this incident in
Matthew 24:34 to be ONLY quantitative do so against the contextu
al evidence in Matthew.

When Jesus wanted to make a time constraint, He said “
some of you standing here will not taste death until . . .” (Matthew 16:28 referring probably to the Mount of Transfiguration ). Eight previous usages in Matthew ALL had qualitative connotations as we h
ave shown. Why would this suddenly change without notice? The answer? It has not.

If we take “this generation” in Matthew 24:34 to mean the same thing it does in Matthew 23:36 and elsewhere—rebellious and unbelieving Jews as epitomized by their leadership, then we can make sense of it in the context of Bible prophecy. Jesus is predicting that the Jewish leadership and most of their followers would remain on the scene of history and remain in their unbelieving condition
until the prophecies in Matthew 24:1-33 have come to pass. They will then pass away. How a nd why? Because Messiah will return and bring judgment on the unbelieving, banishing them from His Kingdom and will gather together the believing remnant and “all Israel will be saved.”

Paul made this important statement: “ For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery,lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until
the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob ’” (Romans 11:25-26 ). The
hardening of national Israel, which is what makes t
hem a crooked and unbelieving generation, is partial and temporary. There always has been a believing remnant. Those are not included in “the generation of His wrath” (Jeremiah 7:29). Here is what Jesus predicts:

The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 13:41-43)

The same “Israel” that is partially hardened now will be “saved” – national, ethnic Israel. When Messiah bodily reigns on the earth it will be over a righteous Israel, not a wicked and perverse
generation. Our range of meaning study has concluded that
genea is used more often in the New Testament as a
qualitative term than a chronologically quantitative one. Our study in particular of the gospel of Matthew shows that Matthew uses it in that way. We have also shown that taking the usage in Matthew
24:34 to be within that same range of meaning makes perfect sense in that context and fits with what we know about Bible prophecy from other passages. Therefore, the typical preterist interpretation is contrived and fails to consider the preponderance o
f evidence in the New Testament for the meaning of
genea in such contexts.