"Day" in Genesis vs "generation" in Matthew?

[QuestioningIFB]

Matthew 24:34 - "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."

Most fundamentalists use Matthew 24 as one of the primary scriptures backing up a dispensationalist view of the end times.  One thing that doesn't add up though is the fact Jesus said "this generation" shall not pass.  Taken literally, that would mean the generation that was alive on the earth during the time of Christ.  If that was what he was speaking of, the prophecy in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem.  Many mainline Protestant denominations take that view on Matthew 24.

A dispensationalist view of this passage would require "generation" to be an unspecified amount of time.  Many have attempted to say that the "generation" Christ was speaking of began in 1967 when the Jews took back Jerusalem, but that is all speculation being there is nothing in the Bible that specifically points to that.  Being that a fundamentalist interpretation of Genesis requires that a "day" be literally 24-hours, is it inconsistent to then not require a "generation" to be a literal generation in the end times?  Why or why not?

 

[FSSL]

Being that a fundamentalist interpretation of Genesis requires that a "day" be literally 24-hours, is it inconsistent to then not require a "generation" to be a literal generation in the end times?  Why or why not?

I don't agree with the interpretation offered above about what Dispensationalists believe, however, to answer your question...

There is more than just the use of the word "day" (i.e., yom) that points to a literal 24-hour day.

 

[PappaBear]

Taken literally, that would mean the generation that was alive on the earth during the time of Christ.  If that was what he was speaking of, the prophecy in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem. 

Context! Context! Context!  The "this generation" of Matthew 24:34 is directly in the context of the parable of the fig tree begun in verse 32.  To properly determine the literal generation, you must interpret what is meant by the tender branch and putting forth of leaves of the fig tree.  It fits very well with the advent of the modern State of Israel, and a literal interpretation would be that the generation that saw the rebirth of that nation (the figure of the budding fig tree) would be the generation that would see the prior descriptions of the coming of the Son of Man from verses 30 & 31.  When you see the fig tree budding, you can know that it is near, "even at the doors." 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Hate to hit and run.  But, things to do.  *hat tip </) to all!

 

[PR6771]

Matthew 24:34 - "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."

Most fundamentalists use Matthew 24 as one of the primary scriptures backing up a dispensationalist view of the end times.  One thing that doesn't add up though is the fact Jesus said "this generation" shall not pass.  Taken literally, that would mean the generation that was alive on the earth during the time of Christ.  If that was what he was speaking of, the prophecy in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem.  Many mainline Protestant denominations take that view on Matthew 24.

A dispensationalist view of this passage would require "generation" to be an unspecified amount of time.  Many have attempted to say that the "generation" Christ was speaking of began in 1967 when the Jews took back Jerusalem, but that is all speculation being there is nothing in the Bible that specifically points to that.  Being that a fundamentalist interpretation of Genesis requires that a "day" be literally 24-hours, is it inconsistent to then not require a "generation" to be a literal generation in the end times?  Why or why not?

The word "generation" has two different meanings. One is a group of people living at the same time. The other is a line of people descended from a common ancestor or ancestors. When Genesis talks about "these are the generations of" it is obviously referring to those generated, or originated from the person spoken of, not to a group of people living at the same time.
If this definition is applied to Matthew, then there is no problem. Jesus would then be stating that the Jewish generation (line of people) still not pass away before the end times. Which, as of right now, is still true.

 

[TidesofTruth]

Taken literally, that would mean the generation that was alive on the earth during the time of Christ.  If that was what he was speaking of, the prophecy in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem. 

Context! Context! Context!  The "this generation" of Matthew 24:34 is directly in the context of the parable of the fig tree begun in verse 32.  To properly determine the literal generation, you must interpret what is meant by the tender branch and putting forth of leaves of the fig tree.  It fits very well with the advent of the modern State of Israel, and a literal interpretation would be that the generation that saw the rebirth of that nation (the figure of the budding fig tree) would be the generation that would see the prior descriptions of the coming of the Son of Man from verses 30 & 31.  When you see the fig tree budding, you can know that it is near, "even at the doors." 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Hate to hit and run.  But, things to do.  *hat tip </) to all!

Most serious students of the Bible of conservative Evangelical and Old School Fundamentalist hold to this teaching.  That would include Moody/Dallas Theological/Philadelphia School of the Bible/Denver Theological etc.