What "This Generation" Is Not [Opposers Dismythed]
There are many views of what a “generation” is. Thus, the most significant question is why “this generation” spoken of by Jesus Christ as recorded at Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32 is not one of those many other beliefs? So I have collected them all here for a thorough examination.
The words “this generation” (or similar) is used in many scriptures, including:
In this video, David Splane of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses illustrated well how those who mark the first part of the generation, would have to have been able to see and understand the signs when they occurred in 1914 in order to be counted as part of the first group in line with verse 33. Anyone observing the sign after 1914, before the death of the last of that first group, would be part of the second group that is contemporary with the first. The key is in that word “contemporary”, explained by a reading of the symbolism at Exodus 1:5, 6. (See below.):
For an explanation of why “this generation” is not limited to Jesus' first century disciples, see the supplementary page: “Matthew 24 Not Limited to the First Century”.
The most recent understanding of Jesus’ words by Jehovah's Witnesses is based upon Exodus 1:5, 6. It is not referring to the lifespan of a single individual, but of the 70 descendants of Jacob who entered Egypt at Joseph's request. (Exodus 1:5) The following Scriptures also refer to this type of generation.
At Exodus 1:5, 6 the referrant of "that" is the 70 in verse 5. This would seem to indicate a period in which a certain people lived who experienced the same event(s) and only concludes when the people who witnessed those events all die. Some modern Jewish scholars have interpreted it this way.
However, these verses and Genesis 45-50 also indicate that those 70 who entered Egypt were contemporary with Joseph's brothers and that no other people are indicated. A single contemporary understanding is further supported by the fact that 3 generations began in Joseph's day in Egypt, each identified with consecutive descendants of Joseph., and the fourth generation was around when tbe Israelites left Egypt 400 years later, thus belying the claim that they have to be witness to any one event, world condition or rulership. (Genesis 50:23) This shows us that generations begin with individuals, not conditions. They begin with individuals and end with contemporaries of that individual as Exodus 1:6 shows.
More importantly, the symbolism apparent in the 45th to 50th chapters of Genesis happen to perfectly represent the last days. We have long taken Joseph to be a type of Christ. (w87 5/1, pp. 10-14) So we have to look at the account very carefully.
Joseph and his 11 brothers do not represent Jesus and the faithful apostles while he was on earth. How do we know? Because Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and sold him, while later Joseph kept himself hidden from his brothers until he had ascertained their repentance. Jesus, however, preached repentance from the start. Also, when Joseph was thrown into the pit represents when Jesus was betrayed and executed by those claiming to be children of God. Later, apostate Christendom sold the Christian congregation into spiritual slavery to idols. (Gal 4:8) So what happened later occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. But many years passed while Joseph was alone in Egypt—not just three—so Joseph reuniting with his brothers does not represent Jesus’ resurrection, nor the outpouring of holy spirit at Pentecost.
So what does Joseph reuniting with his brothers represent? It represents Jesus reuniting with repentant anointed ones sometime after the Passover, of 1914. They knew that he had been enthroned in heaven that year, as represented by the rider on the white horse, because of the 7 times prophecy. (Revelation 6:1, 2; Daniel 4:1-37) At that time, they became aware of his presence when they observed the signs of his presence, most notably the outbreak of the first world war, represented by the second rider on the red horse, (Revelation 6:3, 4) as well as the outbreak of the Spanish flu among many other diseases and famines that decimated the world’s population at that time, represented by the black and pale horses. (Revelation 6:5-8)
So those anointed ones at that time, like Joseph’s brothers, became aware of Christ’s presence at the same time in 1914. And just like Joseph’s brothers, tbey provided convincing evidence of Christ’s presence to others who later became anointed and they called them to join them to come to a spiritual land of plenty. Those ones came in while the first group was still alive who became aware of Christ’s presence in 1914. Later, the first group of anointed ones died. Eventually, so will the ones whom they called to spiritual Egypt.
Note that there are two groups present here. The group that was present when Jesus revealed his presence in 1914 and those of the second group whom the first group then called through the preaching work. Since the first group can no longer call anyone to spiritual Egypt because they have all died, there are no more being added to the second group, though there may still be anointed ones being called who will be resurrected to heaven along with the rest, but they are simply not part of the second group that constitutes "this generation" that is not to pass away before everything Jesus said in Matthew 24 takes place. There are just those who were present in 1914 and those whom they at one time called.
Since a group was present in the beginning, and a group will be present when Jesus comes and calls them to heaven, no one or two individuals can be considered the first or last except hypothetically when trying to determine the maximum possible length of this period. It is strictly hypothetical.
For example, let us say you are trying to determine how long a banquet lasted the night before. You know that the doors opened at 7pm and a group of 12 people came in. They are considered the first ones to the banquet. They called others to the banquet as the night progressed. To find out who the last person invited to the banquet by the previous group was, you go to the first 12 through the door, and ask who the last of them was. You then ask that person who was at the banquet when they left. You now go to the people that person identified and determine who the last of that second group was at the banquet. Thankfully, you do not have to keep doing this. There are only those two groups to work through. So in the second group you find the person who was last at the banquet. So to determine its length, you start with the time the doors opened: 7pm, and you determine that the last of the second group invited by the first group left the banguet at 1am. Thus you determine that the banquet lasted 6 hours. All the people between the two last ones of their groups were not important to that calculation, but this does not mean that they were not guests present at the banquet. Nor do you conclude that the banquet ended when the first group all left.
Now we consider the greatest possible length of the last days using a similar method. We know that the last days began in 1914. We also know that a person’s maximum possible life in these last days is approximately around 115 years old. Jesus said that his chosen ones, anointed ones, would recognize the signs. (Matthew 24:33) We cannot be exact, but since a person would have to be of such an age as to be able to understand the meaning of the signs, then they are not likely to be much less than 7 years old at the time of their understanding the signs after their anointing. Thus 115 years minus 7 means 108 years. Since there was one group called in 1914, and they all called others up to the last one of that first group, then the same maximum ages of those later called is added to the maximum of the first group. This results in a figure of approximately 216 years. Thus the latest possible date for Armageddon seems to be around the year 2130, give or take a few years.
That, however, is only a window. It is just the longest possible period. That does not mean that the last days will last that long. We already see the signs leading to Armageddon taking place right now. The governments are beginning to turn on the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in many leaving; and the Russian Orthodox Church is riding on the back of the eastern block of governments like a decked out prostitute to rile them against Jehovah’s chosen people. Soon those governments will turn on them as well. But not just on the Roman Catholic Church or the Russian Orthodox Church, but upon all false religion. (Revelation 17:16)
These are the groups as found at Exodus 1:6:
These are the groups of anointed that parallel with this account:
But now, why does a generation not mean the other popular theories? Keep reading to find out. We will cover each of the scripture-based theories as we go along, and not bother with any unscriptural speculations.
Previously, in the November 1, 1995 Watchtower, Jehovah's Witnesses began teaching that a generation is an unspecified period of time in which an unbroken string of contemporaries of that period demonstrate a particular trait. Yes, this viewpoint was based upon the scriptures you see here. However, that article also reveals another reason for that view: it is not good to be looking to specific dates.
However, while this was good because it did not hold us to any specified period, we must stick faithfully to as accurate an understanding of the Scriptures as we can. Therefore, when a clear understanding of a generation was discovered, we did not ignore it and stick to the generalized interpretation just because it was convenient or left it open-ended. The adjustment was made because a clear understanding of the meaning of a generation was finally discovered.
The fact is, there is nothing that definitively points to this as the meaning of a generation and does not preclude the contemporaries understanding. And as we saw by looking at the context, “this generation” applies to the faithful ones who recognize the signs, not those who do not. (Matthew 24:33)
The inverse viewpoint to the previous header is the idea that the personality of “this generation” is those serving Jehovah. No doubt the governing body considered this one before settling on our current understanding. Here is how that reasoning can be understood. Psalm 24:6 does say those that seek the “God of Jacob”, Jehovah, in the last days mark the generation that Jesus was speaking of, as it is a prophecy of the same time period.
The problem with this, though, is that it does not refer to the only time that a generation seeks Jehovah, otherwise it applies every time they do so. What Psalm 24:6 is actually saying is that anyone who ascends his holy mountain and is innocent, as in verses 3 and 4, when He takes his station in heaven as in verses 7-10, marks the generation, but it still begs the question of when the starting point is. Thus, this Psalm is not an answer, but may be the basis for Jesus’ statement.
Before we taught that “this generation” was an undefined string of contemporaries exhibiting particular negative traits, we taught that “this generation” meant the lifespan of a single human being who was there to witness the fulfillment of the sign from the beginning and lives all the way to the end. What led to this understanding was in seeking, restrictively, to let the context define what “this generation” meant, including the verse itself. Thus, our proof scriptures came from chapter 24 itself. This is actually the ideal way to interpret most scriptures, but in this instance, it blinded us to a more accurate understanding that could be gained by focusing on the usage of the term throughout the Scriptures, which is another legitimate way to interpret a scripture should the context not be clear as to meaning, and this context is quite nebulous.
The reason we left this behind had nothing to do with the old generation having died off, as there were still plenty of members around at that time who understood the signs in 1914. Obviously, it would be impractical to rethink it on those grounds if they had not actually all died off yet, and they had not. But that is not to say that the possibility of such leading to embarrassment did not cross their mind. So a review was certainly in order so as to make sure that they had the correct understanding before that time passed. Though their conclusion was still flawed, it was based upon a broader exploration of the Scriptures because the context was too nebulous.
Despite the weak scriptural support, the idea that "generation" means "race" is a fairly common view. However, G. R. Beasley-Murray, D.D., a former professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, observed: “The phrase ‘this generation’ should cause no difficulty for interpreters. While admittedly genea in earlier Greek [most often] meant birth, progeny, and so race, . . . in the [Greek Septuagint] it most frequently translated the Hebrew term dôr, meaning age, age of humankind, or generation in the sense of contemporaries. . . . In sayings attributed to Jesus the term appears to have a twofold connotation: on the one hand it always signifies his contemporaries, and on the other hand it always carries an implicit criticism.” Notice that even scholars comprehend a generation as “contemporaries”.
To demonstrate the weakness of the racial interpretation of "generation", notice how these scriptures use the same word indicating a temporal meaning without quoting Hebrew texts:
Jesus repeatedly refers to the generation demonstrating bad qualities, being “wicked”, “evil”, “crooked”, “twisted”, “adulterous”, “perverse”, “no faithfulness”, “faithless”, and “sinful”. But of course, the Jews are Jehovah’s chosen people and were cleansed. (Mt 12:39; 17:17; Mr 8:38; Php 2:15) So it cannot be referring to the entire race apart from temporal reference.
At Luke 16:8, Jesus compares the “sons of this system”, who are clearly made up of many races as being part of the same “generation” as “the sons of the light.”
At Acts 13:36, Paul said that David “rendered service to God in his own generation”, as a reference of time, and “fell asleep in death.”
Clearly these refer to a “generation” in the modern sense, rather than a race. Now this does not prevent every verse from being interpreted as “race”, but neither do they definitively prove it in any place, but some are ambiguous. But since there are so many that can be clearly proven to refer to a generation in a period of time, then it is more likely that the ambiguous verses also refer to such type of generation. And since many of the signs Jesus indicated in Matthew 24 were not fulfilled and apply to the whole world, and some were repeated in Revelation, then “generation” cannot refer to a race.
Source: “This Generation”
The reason the discussion of a generation is of prime importance to Christians is because of the following scripture. Jesus said:
Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32
“Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.”
“Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.”
The words “this generation” (or similar) is used in many scriptures, including:
| Genesis 7:1 | Numbers 32:13 | Deuteronomy 1:35 |
| Deuteronomy 2:14 | Psalm 12:7 | Jeremiah 2:31 |
| Jeremiah 7:29 | Matthew 11:16 | Matthew 12:41, 42 |
| Matthew 23:36 | Matthew 24:34 | Mark 8:12 |
| Mark 13:30 | Luke 7:30-32 | Luke 11:31, 32 |
| Luke 11:50, 51 | Luke 17:25 | Luke 21:32 |
| Heb 3:10 |
In this video, David Splane of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses illustrated well how those who mark the first part of the generation, would have to have been able to see and understand the signs when they occurred in 1914 in order to be counted as part of the first group in line with verse 33. Anyone observing the sign after 1914, before the death of the last of that first group, would be part of the second group that is contemporary with the first. The key is in that word “contemporary”, explained by a reading of the symbolism at Exodus 1:5, 6. (See below.):
For an explanation of why “this generation” is not limited to Jesus' first century disciples, see the supplementary page: “Matthew 24 Not Limited to the First Century”.
Is: Contemporary Witnesses of the Signs
Genesis 50:23
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's sons, also the sons of Machir, Manassah's son. They were born upon Joseph's knees.
Exodus 1:5, 6
And all those who were born to Jacob were 70 people, but Joseph was already in Egypt. Joseph eventually died, and also all his brothers and all that generation.
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's sons, also the sons of Machir, Manassah's son. They were born upon Joseph's knees.
Exodus 1:5, 6
And all those who were born to Jacob were 70 people, but Joseph was already in Egypt. Joseph eventually died, and also all his brothers and all that generation.
The most recent understanding of Jesus’ words by Jehovah's Witnesses is based upon Exodus 1:5, 6. It is not referring to the lifespan of a single individual, but of the 70 descendants of Jacob who entered Egypt at Joseph's request. (Exodus 1:5) The following Scriptures also refer to this type of generation.
| Judges 2:10 | Isaiah 53:8 (Acts 8:33) | Acts 13:36 |
At Exodus 1:5, 6 the referrant of "that" is the 70 in verse 5. This would seem to indicate a period in which a certain people lived who experienced the same event(s) and only concludes when the people who witnessed those events all die. Some modern Jewish scholars have interpreted it this way.
However, these verses and Genesis 45-50 also indicate that those 70 who entered Egypt were contemporary with Joseph's brothers and that no other people are indicated. A single contemporary understanding is further supported by the fact that 3 generations began in Joseph's day in Egypt, each identified with consecutive descendants of Joseph., and the fourth generation was around when tbe Israelites left Egypt 400 years later, thus belying the claim that they have to be witness to any one event, world condition or rulership. (Genesis 50:23) This shows us that generations begin with individuals, not conditions. They begin with individuals and end with contemporaries of that individual as Exodus 1:6 shows.
More importantly, the symbolism apparent in the 45th to 50th chapters of Genesis happen to perfectly represent the last days. We have long taken Joseph to be a type of Christ. (w87 5/1, pp. 10-14) So we have to look at the account very carefully.
Joseph and his 11 brothers do not represent Jesus and the faithful apostles while he was on earth. How do we know? Because Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and sold him, while later Joseph kept himself hidden from his brothers until he had ascertained their repentance. Jesus, however, preached repentance from the start. Also, when Joseph was thrown into the pit represents when Jesus was betrayed and executed by those claiming to be children of God. Later, apostate Christendom sold the Christian congregation into spiritual slavery to idols. (Gal 4:8) So what happened later occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. But many years passed while Joseph was alone in Egypt—not just three—so Joseph reuniting with his brothers does not represent Jesus’ resurrection, nor the outpouring of holy spirit at Pentecost.
So what does Joseph reuniting with his brothers represent? It represents Jesus reuniting with repentant anointed ones sometime after the Passover, of 1914. They knew that he had been enthroned in heaven that year, as represented by the rider on the white horse, because of the 7 times prophecy. (Revelation 6:1, 2; Daniel 4:1-37) At that time, they became aware of his presence when they observed the signs of his presence, most notably the outbreak of the first world war, represented by the second rider on the red horse, (Revelation 6:3, 4) as well as the outbreak of the Spanish flu among many other diseases and famines that decimated the world’s population at that time, represented by the black and pale horses. (Revelation 6:5-8)
So those anointed ones at that time, like Joseph’s brothers, became aware of Christ’s presence at the same time in 1914. And just like Joseph’s brothers, tbey provided convincing evidence of Christ’s presence to others who later became anointed and they called them to join them to come to a spiritual land of plenty. Those ones came in while the first group was still alive who became aware of Christ’s presence in 1914. Later, the first group of anointed ones died. Eventually, so will the ones whom they called to spiritual Egypt.
Note that there are two groups present here. The group that was present when Jesus revealed his presence in 1914 and those of the second group whom the first group then called through the preaching work. Since the first group can no longer call anyone to spiritual Egypt because they have all died, there are no more being added to the second group, though there may still be anointed ones being called who will be resurrected to heaven along with the rest, but they are simply not part of the second group that constitutes "this generation" that is not to pass away before everything Jesus said in Matthew 24 takes place. There are just those who were present in 1914 and those whom they at one time called.
Since a group was present in the beginning, and a group will be present when Jesus comes and calls them to heaven, no one or two individuals can be considered the first or last except hypothetically when trying to determine the maximum possible length of this period. It is strictly hypothetical.
For example, let us say you are trying to determine how long a banquet lasted the night before. You know that the doors opened at 7pm and a group of 12 people came in. They are considered the first ones to the banquet. They called others to the banquet as the night progressed. To find out who the last person invited to the banquet by the previous group was, you go to the first 12 through the door, and ask who the last of them was. You then ask that person who was at the banquet when they left. You now go to the people that person identified and determine who the last of that second group was at the banquet. Thankfully, you do not have to keep doing this. There are only those two groups to work through. So in the second group you find the person who was last at the banquet. So to determine its length, you start with the time the doors opened: 7pm, and you determine that the last of the second group invited by the first group left the banguet at 1am. Thus you determine that the banquet lasted 6 hours. All the people between the two last ones of their groups were not important to that calculation, but this does not mean that they were not guests present at the banquet. Nor do you conclude that the banquet ended when the first group all left.
Now we consider the greatest possible length of the last days using a similar method. We know that the last days began in 1914. We also know that a person’s maximum possible life in these last days is approximately around 115 years old. Jesus said that his chosen ones, anointed ones, would recognize the signs. (Matthew 24:33) We cannot be exact, but since a person would have to be of such an age as to be able to understand the meaning of the signs, then they are not likely to be much less than 7 years old at the time of their understanding the signs after their anointing. Thus 115 years minus 7 means 108 years. Since there was one group called in 1914, and they all called others up to the last one of that first group, then the same maximum ages of those later called is added to the maximum of the first group. This results in a figure of approximately 216 years. Thus the latest possible date for Armageddon seems to be around the year 2130, give or take a few years.
That, however, is only a window. It is just the longest possible period. That does not mean that the last days will last that long. We already see the signs leading to Armageddon taking place right now. The governments are beginning to turn on the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in many leaving; and the Russian Orthodox Church is riding on the back of the eastern block of governments like a decked out prostitute to rile them against Jehovah’s chosen people. Soon those governments will turn on them as well. But not just on the Roman Catholic Church or the Russian Orthodox Church, but upon all false religion. (Revelation 17:16)
These are the groups as found at Exodus 1:6:
Beginning: 1st group: "Joseph ... and his brothers [who were present when Joseph revealed himself]." (Exodus 1:6; read Genesis 45:3)
End: 2nd group: " ... and all that generation [who entered Egypt later]." (Exodus 1:6)
These are the groups of anointed that parallel with this account:
Beginning: 1st group: Anointed who saw the signs of Jesus' presence in 1914.
End: 2nd group: Those who were anointed after 1914 who were called by the first group while alive.
But now, why does a generation not mean the other popular theories? Keep reading to find out. We will cover each of the scripture-based theories as we go along, and not bother with any unscriptural speculations.
Not: “A Crooked and Twisted Generation”
Philippians 2:14, 15
Keep doing all things free from murmuring and arguments, so that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world,
Keep doing all things free from murmuring and arguments, so that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world,
| Numbers 32:13 | Deuteronomy 1:35 | Deuteronomy 32:5, 20 |
| Psalm 78:8 | Psalm 95:10 | Proverbs 30:11-14 |
| Jeremiah 7:29 | Matthew 12:39 | Matthew 12:45 |
| Matthew 16:4 | Matthew 17:17 | Mark 8:38 |
| Mark 9:19 | Luke 9:41 | Luke 11:29 |
| Acts 2:40 | Philippians 2:15 |
Previously, in the November 1, 1995 Watchtower, Jehovah's Witnesses began teaching that a generation is an unspecified period of time in which an unbroken string of contemporaries of that period demonstrate a particular trait. Yes, this viewpoint was based upon the scriptures you see here. However, that article also reveals another reason for that view: it is not good to be looking to specific dates.
However, while this was good because it did not hold us to any specified period, we must stick faithfully to as accurate an understanding of the Scriptures as we can. Therefore, when a clear understanding of a generation was discovered, we did not ignore it and stick to the generalized interpretation just because it was convenient or left it open-ended. The adjustment was made because a clear understanding of the meaning of a generation was finally discovered.
The fact is, there is nothing that definitively points to this as the meaning of a generation and does not preclude the contemporaries understanding. And as we saw by looking at the context, “this generation” applies to the faithful ones who recognize the signs, not those who do not. (Matthew 24:33)
Not: “The Generation of Those Seeking Him”
Psalm 24:6
This is the generation of those seeking him, Of those seeking your face, O God of Jacob.
This is the generation of those seeking him, Of those seeking your face, O God of Jacob.
| Psalm 14:5 | Psalm 24:6 | Psalm 112:2 |
| Luke 16:8 |
The inverse viewpoint to the previous header is the idea that the personality of “this generation” is those serving Jehovah. No doubt the governing body considered this one before settling on our current understanding. Here is how that reasoning can be understood. Psalm 24:6 does say those that seek the “God of Jacob”, Jehovah, in the last days mark the generation that Jesus was speaking of, as it is a prophecy of the same time period.
The problem with this, though, is that it does not refer to the only time that a generation seeks Jehovah, otherwise it applies every time they do so. What Psalm 24:6 is actually saying is that anyone who ascends his holy mountain and is innocent, as in verses 3 and 4, when He takes his station in heaven as in verses 7-10, marks the generation, but it still begs the question of when the starting point is. Thus, this Psalm is not an answer, but may be the basis for Jesus’ statement.
Not: A Single Lifespan
Matthew 24:13
But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.
But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.
| Genesis 10:25 | 1 Kings 3:13 | 1 Kings 11:12 |
| Psalm 30:5 | Isaiah 23:15 | Matthew 24:34 |
| Mark 13:30 | Luke 21:32 |
Before we taught that “this generation” was an undefined string of contemporaries exhibiting particular negative traits, we taught that “this generation” meant the lifespan of a single human being who was there to witness the fulfillment of the sign from the beginning and lives all the way to the end. What led to this understanding was in seeking, restrictively, to let the context define what “this generation” meant, including the verse itself. Thus, our proof scriptures came from chapter 24 itself. This is actually the ideal way to interpret most scriptures, but in this instance, it blinded us to a more accurate understanding that could be gained by focusing on the usage of the term throughout the Scriptures, which is another legitimate way to interpret a scripture should the context not be clear as to meaning, and this context is quite nebulous.
The reason we left this behind had nothing to do with the old generation having died off, as there were still plenty of members around at that time who understood the signs in 1914. Obviously, it would be impractical to rethink it on those grounds if they had not actually all died off yet, and they had not. But that is not to say that the possibility of such leading to embarrassment did not cross their mind. So a review was certainly in order so as to make sure that they had the correct understanding before that time passed. Though their conclusion was still flawed, it was based upon a broader exploration of the Scriptures because the context was too nebulous.
Not: A Race
Luke 16:8
And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation [or pos. “race”/”kind”] than the sons of the light are. [Compare NAS. See also G1074 in Strong’s Concordance.]
And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation [or pos. “race”/”kind”] than the sons of the light are. [Compare NAS. See also G1074 in Strong’s Concordance.]
Despite the weak scriptural support, the idea that "generation" means "race" is a fairly common view. However, G. R. Beasley-Murray, D.D., a former professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, observed: “The phrase ‘this generation’ should cause no difficulty for interpreters. While admittedly genea in earlier Greek [most often] meant birth, progeny, and so race, . . . in the [Greek Septuagint] it most frequently translated the Hebrew term dôr, meaning age, age of humankind, or generation in the sense of contemporaries. . . . In sayings attributed to Jesus the term appears to have a twofold connotation: on the one hand it always signifies his contemporaries, and on the other hand it always carries an implicit criticism.” Notice that even scholars comprehend a generation as “contemporaries”.
To demonstrate the weakness of the racial interpretation of "generation", notice how these scriptures use the same word indicating a temporal meaning without quoting Hebrew texts:
Jesus repeatedly refers to the generation demonstrating bad qualities, being “wicked”, “evil”, “crooked”, “twisted”, “adulterous”, “perverse”, “no faithfulness”, “faithless”, and “sinful”. But of course, the Jews are Jehovah’s chosen people and were cleansed. (Mt 12:39; 17:17; Mr 8:38; Php 2:15) So it cannot be referring to the entire race apart from temporal reference.
At Luke 16:8, Jesus compares the “sons of this system”, who are clearly made up of many races as being part of the same “generation” as “the sons of the light.”
At Acts 13:36, Paul said that David “rendered service to God in his own generation”, as a reference of time, and “fell asleep in death.”
Clearly these refer to a “generation” in the modern sense, rather than a race. Now this does not prevent every verse from being interpreted as “race”, but neither do they definitively prove it in any place, but some are ambiguous. But since there are so many that can be clearly proven to refer to a generation in a period of time, then it is more likely that the ambiguous verses also refer to such type of generation. And since many of the signs Jesus indicated in Matthew 24 were not fulfilled and apply to the whole world, and some were repeated in Revelation, then “generation” cannot refer to a race.
Not: Contemporaries of an Event or Reign
See "Is: Contemporary Witnesses of the signs".
Psalm 95:10 is no more than a specified timeframe within which Jehovah intended to get rid of that generation. It is not the full span of that generation, given that the generation was already around for at least 20 years.
But neither is 60 years a generation since most of that generation was born before 20 years prior and none were born after. Twenty is only associated with the minimum age of enrollment in the military, (Numbers 1:3) not the end of their generation, as Numbers 14:29 says, “20 years old and up,” not “20 years old and below.”
Deuteronomy 2:14 is not a statement of how long a generation is. It is a statement of how long (The remaining years) it took those who were counted as "the men of war" at the time of the curse to pass away.
Neither is this an indicator that there was any set number of years to be fulfilled. Joshua and Caleb were both part of that generation and Joshua lived to be 110 years old. (Joshua 24:29) Caleb's age at his death is not given, but we know that he was 40 years old when he spied out Kadesh-barnea. (Joshua 14:7)
Many have tried variously associating the numbers 70, 80 or 120 with the generation that Jesus spoke about. However, none of these scriptures mention or are associated with a generation. Therefore they cannot be defined as a generation at all.
120 years was not Jehovah’s stated length of human life, but the stated time frame that system of things had before being destroyed in the flood.
Deuteronomy 34:7 is simply stating the lifespan of Moses alone.
Isaiah 23:15 is referring to the lifetime of a specific king, namely the regent of Babylon, who was Nabonidus, who was imprisoned in the tower by the Persians after the fall of Babylon two years before the Jews were released from Babylonian captivity, suggesting that he died at that time.
Again, the presence of the word "generation" is essential to defining it. A generation is not mentioned in any of these scriptures and therefore cannot define what a generation is.
At Genesis, 15:13, Jehovah says that Abraham’s descendants would serve a foreign nation for 400 years, and in verse 16 Jehovah says that they would return to the land “in the fourth generation”. However, these things are not actually congruous.
Jehovah was saying that the Israelites were to serve the Egyptians 400 years, and indeed, like clockwork, Moses came and freed them from Egypt after 400 years. But it was not until 40 years later that they returned to the promised land at Numbers 32:13. So it was actually a total of 440 years before they returned to the promised land while contemporaries of the fourth generation were still alive.
But was one quarter of that (110 years) really a generation? No. Jehovah was talking about the first four generations born in Egypt. (Ge 50:23) However, this does not require that the contemporaries of generations two, three and four all ended in Egypt. It only needs to be contemporaries of the ones that Joseph saw born in Egypt according to Exodus 1:6 and his great-great grandchildren, the start of the fourth generation, whereas the contemporaries of the fourth generation are the ones who entered into the promised land, not the ones who were the first part of the fourth generation.
This actually further supports the idea that a generation is contemporaneous, as some of those that entered the promised land were contemporaries in the fourth generation, especially Joshua and Caleb. They could not possibly have been born as original members of that fourth generation, but they certainly could have overlapped with them.
Psalm 49:19 refers to a generation for something they all have in common. They are all contemporaries in both death and resurrection. (Gen 15:15) But they are not stated to be contemporaries in any other way. However, it is possible that his forefathers (Lit. “fathers”) are those he has known personally, and thus contemporaneously, including his father, grandfather and great grandfather.
Genesis 20:23 and these other scriptures in no way indicate that one generation ends when the next begins. It is simply the beginning of three generations. Based on this, it is not possible for one generation to begin when one ends. The only way that could happen is if children are born at the moment their parents die. Overlapping is unavoidable. So the question remains in these scriptures of "What constitutes a generation?" Clearly it is not answered in the scriptures listed here.
The expressions “future generation”, “generation following”, “generation to come” and “to the generation” are also translated as “the next generation”, or “future generation”. This does not mean that the next generation begins when the previous one ends. It simply refers to the sons yet to be born after the current generation, no matter how far into the future. (Thus, “the people that is to be created”.)
The current generation includes all the people still alive up to this point, whether just born, or about to die.
These expressions generally apply to anyone reading or singing the words, thus indicating all future generations.
This also goes for “past generations” at Deuteronomy 32:7, “succeeding generations” at Judges 3:2 and “other generations” at Ephesians 3:5.
The words “generation after generation”, “generation to generation”, “every generation” or “one generation to the next” also do not mean the next generation begins when the previous one ends. It simply refers to the children of children, etc. as with “sons”.
This does not indicate a series of punctuated periods. It is only meant to indicate that something goes on indefinitely, handed down from fathers to sons, just as the prophet Joel said, “Tell about it to your sons, and let your sons tell about it to their sons, and their sons to the next generation.” (Lit., “. . . and their children another generation.”)
This also covers terms such as “all future generations”, “throughout their generations”, “all their generations”, “during their generations”, “for their generations”, “thousandth generation” and generations “going, and . . . coming.”
The only exception is Isaiah 61:4, in which “for generation after generation” refers to the period between Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 BCE and the rebuilding of certain places in it. And only Exodus 17:16 and Luke 1:50 are not clarified, though “forever” is implied. It indicates the birth of generations, not the end of them. (See Not: 100 or 110 Years above.)
Not: 20, 40 or 60 Years
Numbers 14:29
In this wilderness your corpses will fall, yes, the whole number of you from 20 years old and up who were registered, all of you who have murmured against me.
Ps 95:10
For 40 years I felt a loathing toward that generation.
In this wilderness your corpses will fall, yes, the whole number of you from 20 years old and up who were registered, all of you who have murmured against me.
Ps 95:10
For 40 years I felt a loathing toward that generation.
Psalm 95:10 is no more than a specified timeframe within which Jehovah intended to get rid of that generation. It is not the full span of that generation, given that the generation was already around for at least 20 years.
But neither is 60 years a generation since most of that generation was born before 20 years prior and none were born after. Twenty is only associated with the minimum age of enrollment in the military, (Numbers 1:3) not the end of their generation, as Numbers 14:29 says, “20 years old and up,” not “20 years old and below.”
Not: 38 Years
Deuteronomy 2:14
The time it took us to walk from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Valley of Zered was 38 years, until the entire generation of the men of war had perished from the camp, just as Jehovah had sworn to them.
The time it took us to walk from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Valley of Zered was 38 years, until the entire generation of the men of war had perished from the camp, just as Jehovah had sworn to them.
Deuteronomy 2:14 is not a statement of how long a generation is. It is a statement of how long (The remaining years) it took those who were counted as "the men of war" at the time of the curse to pass away.
Neither is this an indicator that there was any set number of years to be fulfilled. Joshua and Caleb were both part of that generation and Joshua lived to be 110 years old. (Joshua 24:29) Caleb's age at his death is not given, but we know that he was 40 years old when he spied out Kadesh-barnea. (Joshua 14:7)
Not: 70, 80 or 120 Years
Psalm 90:10a
The span of our life is 70 years, or 80 if one is especially strong.
Genesis 6:3
Then Jehovah said: “My spirit will not tolerate man indefinitely, because he is only flesh. Accordingly, his days will amount to 120 years.”
Deuteronomy 34:7
Moses was 120 years old at his death. His eyes had not grown dim, and his strength had not departed
Isaiah 23:15
In that day Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, the same as the lifetime of one king.
The span of our life is 70 years, or 80 if one is especially strong.
Genesis 6:3
Then Jehovah said: “My spirit will not tolerate man indefinitely, because he is only flesh. Accordingly, his days will amount to 120 years.”
Deuteronomy 34:7
Moses was 120 years old at his death. His eyes had not grown dim, and his strength had not departed
Isaiah 23:15
In that day Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, the same as the lifetime of one king.
Many have tried variously associating the numbers 70, 80 or 120 with the generation that Jesus spoke about. However, none of these scriptures mention or are associated with a generation. Therefore they cannot be defined as a generation at all.
120 years was not Jehovah’s stated length of human life, but the stated time frame that system of things had before being destroyed in the flood.
Deuteronomy 34:7 is simply stating the lifespan of Moses alone.
Isaiah 23:15 is referring to the lifetime of a specific king, namely the regent of Babylon, who was Nabonidus, who was imprisoned in the tower by the Persians after the fall of Babylon two years before the Jews were released from Babylonian captivity, suggesting that he died at that time.
Again, the presence of the word "generation" is essential to defining it. A generation is not mentioned in any of these scriptures and therefore cannot define what a generation is.
Not: 100 or 110 Years
Genesis 15:13, 16
Then [Jehovah] said to Abram: “Know for certain that your offspring will be foreigners in a land not theirs and that the people there will enslave them and afflict them for 400 years. . . . But they will return here in the fourth generation, because the error of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
Then [Jehovah] said to Abram: “Know for certain that your offspring will be foreigners in a land not theirs and that the people there will enslave them and afflict them for 400 years. . . . But they will return here in the fourth generation, because the error of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
At Genesis, 15:13, Jehovah says that Abraham’s descendants would serve a foreign nation for 400 years, and in verse 16 Jehovah says that they would return to the land “in the fourth generation”. However, these things are not actually congruous.
Jehovah was saying that the Israelites were to serve the Egyptians 400 years, and indeed, like clockwork, Moses came and freed them from Egypt after 400 years. But it was not until 40 years later that they returned to the promised land at Numbers 32:13. So it was actually a total of 440 years before they returned to the promised land while contemporaries of the fourth generation were still alive.
But was one quarter of that (110 years) really a generation? No. Jehovah was talking about the first four generations born in Egypt. (Ge 50:23) However, this does not require that the contemporaries of generations two, three and four all ended in Egypt. It only needs to be contemporaries of the ones that Joseph saw born in Egypt according to Exodus 1:6 and his great-great grandchildren, the start of the fourth generation, whereas the contemporaries of the fourth generation are the ones who entered into the promised land, not the ones who were the first part of the fourth generation.
This actually further supports the idea that a generation is contemporaneous, as some of those that entered the promised land were contemporaries in the fourth generation, especially Joshua and Caleb. They could not possibly have been born as original members of that fourth generation, but they certainly could have overlapped with them.
Not: “The Generation of his Forefathers”
Psalm 49:19
But he finally joins the generation of his forefathers. They will never again see the light.
But he finally joins the generation of his forefathers. They will never again see the light.
Psalm 49:19 refers to a generation for something they all have in common. They are all contemporaries in both death and resurrection. (Gen 15:15) But they are not stated to be contemporaries in any other way. However, it is possible that his forefathers (Lit. “fathers”) are those he has known personally, and thus contemporaneously, including his father, grandfather and great grandfather.
Not: Sons
Genesis 50:23
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons, also the sons of Machir, Manasseh’s son. They were born upon Joseph’s knees.
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons, also the sons of Machir, Manasseh’s son. They were born upon Joseph’s knees.
| Genesis 15:16 | Genesis 50:23 | Exodus 20:5, 6 |
| Exodus 34:7 | Numbers 14:18 | Deuteronomy 29:22 |
| Deuteronomy 32:7 | 2 Kings 10:30 | 2 Kings 15:12 |
| Job 42:16 | Matthew 1:17 |
Genesis 20:23 and these other scriptures in no way indicate that one generation ends when the next begins. It is simply the beginning of three generations. Based on this, it is not possible for one generation to begin when one ends. The only way that could happen is if children are born at the moment their parents die. Overlapping is unavoidable. So the question remains in these scriptures of "What constitutes a generation?" Clearly it is not answered in the scriptures listed here.
Not: “The Next Generation”
Psalm 102:18
This is written for the future generation; And the people that is to be created will praise Jah.
This is written for the future generation; And the people that is to be created will praise Jah.
| Deuteronomy 29:22 | Job 8:8 | Psalm 22:30 |
| Psalm 48:13 | Psalm 71:18 | Psalm 78:4 |
| Psalm 78:6 | Psalm 102:18 | Psalm 109:13 |
| Joel 1:3 |
The expressions “future generation”, “generation following”, “generation to come” and “to the generation” are also translated as “the next generation”, or “future generation”. This does not mean that the next generation begins when the previous one ends. It simply refers to the sons yet to be born after the current generation, no matter how far into the future. (Thus, “the people that is to be created”.)
The current generation includes all the people still alive up to this point, whether just born, or about to die.
These expressions generally apply to anyone reading or singing the words, thus indicating all future generations.
This also goes for “past generations” at Deuteronomy 32:7, “succeeding generations” at Judges 3:2 and “other generations” at Ephesians 3:5.
Not: “Generation After Generation”
Psalm 100:5
For Jehovah is good; his loving-kindness is to time indefinite, and his faithfulness to generation after generation.
For Jehovah is good; his loving-kindness is to time indefinite, and his faithfulness to generation after generation.
| Exodus 3:15 | Exodus 17:16 | Esther 9:28 |
| Psalm 10:6 | Psalm 33:11 | Psalm 49:11 |
| Psalm 61:6 | Psalm 72:5 | Psalm 77:8 |
| Psalm 79:13 | Psalm 85:5 | Psalm 89:1 |
| Psalm 89:4 | Psalm 90:1 | Psalm 100:5 |
| Psalm 102:12 | Psalm 106:31 | Psalm 119:89, 90 |
| Psalm 135:13 | Psalm 145:4 | Psalm 146:10 |
| Proverbs 27:24 | Isaiah 13:20 | Isaiah 34:10 |
| Isaiah 34:17 | Isaiah 60:15 | Jeremiah 50:39 |
| Lamentations 5:19 | Daniel 4:3 | Daniel 4:34 |
| Joel 2:2 | Joel 3:20 | Luke 1:40 |
| Luke 1:50 |
The words “generation after generation”, “generation to generation”, “every generation” or “one generation to the next” also do not mean the next generation begins when the previous one ends. It simply refers to the children of children, etc. as with “sons”.
This does not indicate a series of punctuated periods. It is only meant to indicate that something goes on indefinitely, handed down from fathers to sons, just as the prophet Joel said, “Tell about it to your sons, and let your sons tell about it to their sons, and their sons to the next generation.” (Lit., “. . . and their children another generation.”)
This also covers terms such as “all future generations”, “throughout their generations”, “all their generations”, “during their generations”, “for their generations”, “thousandth generation” and generations “going, and . . . coming.”
The only exception is Isaiah 61:4, in which “for generation after generation” refers to the period between Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 BCE and the rebuilding of certain places in it. And only Exodus 17:16 and Luke 1:50 are not clarified, though “forever” is implied. It indicates the birth of generations, not the end of them. (See Not: 100 or 110 Years above.)
Understand?
We hope you appreciated this breakdown of why Jehovah's Witnesses do not follow other popular theories about the meaning of “this generation”. If you have an interpretation not found here, or an adjustment to information found here, we want to hear about it. Leave your comment below and we will update our post to reflect it if it qualifies. It must be based on a scripture and must also mention a “generation” unless it is a popular theory and relies upon the Scriptures.
Comments
Although I admit that I don't understand why Carmiel is still confused and feel he/her question was not answered by you here.
As I find it really quite simple to grasp. Where, depending on the context, a "generation" in scripture may simply refer to a group of contemporaries who's lives all overlap for a period of time in which they're all alive together, both young and old. With those individuals in the first and last overlapping groups forming the beginning and end limits of the entire generation.
Though technically speaking, this meaning of a generation can have this un-Godly system lasting all the way until sometime in the 22nd century for those born close to the end of the first overlapping group and go on to live to a very old age.
Hopefully Jehovah won't need to allow Satan's miserable world to last nearly that long ... :)
Please look under the sixth heading from the top: "Not: a Race". It connects the Hebrew word to the Greek, showing why we can use the Hebrew to find the answer to the puzzle.
Although you addressed the second comment to all readers, please be advised that it doesn't apply to me.
In one major East Asian language, the Greek words "poniros" and "kakos" are both translated (in the latest NWT) as "evil" even though "poniros" actually carries a meaning that "kakos" does not. There is simply no way to distinguish between the two in that language.
Sometimes, one's native lanugage is not enough to get the full (or even a partial) sense of the original language's intent.
In English, take "love" for example. Unless one has a simple understanding of the Greek at play, it may not be possible to fully understand the nature of the original text. I'm sure you wouldn't disagree with that. The Insight book does a good job of introducing those concepts.
It's important to look beyond the target language and examine the source language.
We do not need to rely upon outside sources for the meaning of a generation. As was already stated, the Bible itself defines a generation at Exodus 1:5, 6, where all those contempory with Joseph are identified as a single generation. The generation most certainly did end, not with the death of Joseph, but with the death of all those that knew him. The same occurred in Christianity, as the generation of witnesses to Christ ended with all those who were contemporary with Christ, bringing on the end of spiritual gifts and ushering in the age of apostasy. We do not need the specultion of outside sources to muddle the Bible's clear message.
The Hebrew word "dor" which is translated generation has different meanings. The Ancient Hebrew Research Center says this of dor or generation:
"Dor
The Hebrew word דור (dor, Strong's #1755) is used 167 times in the Hebrew Bible and usually translated as "generation." While the Hebrew word דור (dor) and the English word "generation" are similar in meaning, it is important to understand the differences in order to have a clearer picture of the authors understanding of the word which may impact how a particular passage is understood.
A generation is the time from one birth to the birth of the next generation. While the word דור (dor) has this meaning, there some differences between the Hebrew understanding of this word and our own. In our Greco-Roman culture we see time as a line with a beginning and an end while the Eastern mind sees time as a continuous circle. While we may see a generation as a time line with a beginning and an end, the Hebrews saw a generation as one circle with the next generation as a continuation of the circle. There is no beginning and no end."
I appreciate your zealous enthusiasm for wanting to support what you have been taught, but you should read our posts before commenting in order to spare yourself a wasted effort.
I referenced the Hebrew word "dor" in the post. However, you provide no evidence that your definition is the only meaning for the word. We, however, demonstrate through scripture examples that it had the broader contemporary meaning in the Hebrew. In the future you would do well to avoid presumptuousness and read the thing you are predetermined to oppose so that you do not waste your strength.--Proverbs 11:2; 21:24.
The reason our posts are so well appreciated is because we take the time to actually read and do research. If we were not inclined to do so, we would not waste our strength.
Please read our posts before commenting so that you can demonstrate the intelligence that I am certain you have.