Meaning of "Generation"

by brotherdan 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  brotherdan

  I'd like to give my opinion on what Jesus use of the word "generation" means, and then ask all of you to post what you think it may mean.

  The WT seems to be obsessed with the concept of a scripture having multiple meanings. While I think this CAN be true, they go overboard with the concept. Primarily Matthew 24 was speaking of the events that took place in 70 C.E. The generation (or group of men and women) that were alive at the time of this prophecy were also alive when the events of 70 took place. Even if Jesus was speaking of his coming in our time now, I really don't believe that he was using the word "generation" in order for us to calculate any sort of time period.We all know that 1914 is an erroneous date. But what generation was Jesus speaking of, if he was speaking about our day?

  What do you guys think Jesus meant in his words at Mat 24:34?
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  notverylikely

  I think he never said that at all since all evidence points to the gospels being written after the destruction of Jerusalem.
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  cantleave

  I agree with NVL. IMO It was a retrospective, fictional account of a conversation in order to substantiate Jesus as the Son of God.
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  brotherdan

  That's the easy way out. It was a fictional conversation. Nice reasoning there, guys.
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  notverylikely

  That's the easy way out. It was a fictional conversation. Nice reasoning there, guys.

  Not at all Dan. It's just that Jesus telling the future fails the "What is more likely" test.

  What is more likely, that an invisible god impregnated a jewish teenager and she gave a virgin birth to a spirit creature turned human that fulfilled a jewish messiah prophecy (even though the jews themselves largely did not not believe that) and he then ministered, raised the dead, expelled OTHER invisible evil spirit creature and then prophesied almost 40 years in advance the rebellion of a local population and subsequent destruction of a city....or it was written after the fact?
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  donuthole

  I think the clearest explanation is to apply those words to events leading up to the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. The whole conversation was prefaced by Jesus statement that the temple would be destroyed and the disciples question, "When will these things take place?"

  However I don't think the idea of multiple fulfillments can be discounted. Why? In giving his prophecy, Jesus references Daniel's prophecy about catching sight of the abomination of desolation standing in the Holy Place. The thing is that this had already been fulfilled once before with during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, which you can read about in 1 Maccabbees.
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  elder-schmelder

  I agree with cantleave and notverylikely. That is what the evidence shows.

  elder-schmelder
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  robson

  we as humans always try to know things that are beyond our understanding and we want to know more than God if possible which totally without a chance what I'm saying is this no matter what generation jesus meant or if you believe in him or not we know deep in our hearts that our human curiosity would lead us no where cause we are blind.

  Interpretating that prophecy no human can do why because its meaning has nothing to do with us we are nothing compared to that marvelous prophecy all we can do is wait but we know we all die so that brings us to the generation that will overlap the lives of the anointed living in 1914 to our time which has no ending whatsoever just an explanation again whether it happens in our time or not its meaning is not up to us to decide.

  Question you trust your heart in the bible the word of God is that is so then you'll find the answer if not keep looking remember you are blind.
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  LostGeneration

  That's the easy way out. It was a fictional conversation. Nice reasoning there, guys.

  So where is your evidence that these words were actually spoken in the time and format that the Bible says they were? As Terry has pointed out literally dozens of times, there are no ORIGINALS when it comes to the bible.

  Two parties argue what was said in a conversation 10 minutes ago. And we are supposed to believe these words spoken 2000 years ago are exactly as this man supposedly spoke them. Sorry, reality and the here and now are what we have. Nothing more-nothing less.