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The following is section six from a series on emphatic elements in the Greek New Testament, written by biblical language expert Justin Alfred. Previous blog entries in this series:<\/p>\n
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“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33<\/sup> even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right <\/em>at the door. 34<\/sup> ‘Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away<\/span><\/strong> (\u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f73\u03bb\u03b8\u1fc3<\/strong> \u2013 ou m\u0113 parelth\u0113<\/em> ) until all these things take place. 35<\/sup> Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away<\/span><\/strong> (\u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f73\u03bb\u03b8\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd<\/strong> \u2013 ou m\u0113 parelth\u014dsin<\/em>)'” (Matthew 24:32-35).<\/span><\/p>\n We are now at the core of this whole passage with regard to the subjunctive of emphatic negation.\u00a0 Jesus is saying emphatically that neither \u201cthis generation\u201d will in NO WAY WHATSOEVER \u201cpass away until all these things take place,\u201d and even though \u201cheaven and earth will pass away,\u201d His \u201cwords shall in NO WAY AT ANY TIME EVER \u201cpass away.\u201d<\/p>\n In the Greek, the word is \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>), and it is precisely the debate over the meaning of this word that has caused so much confusion and misdirection in eschatological teaching and belief for almost 2000 years.\u00a0 But one thing that time does do is help to sort out what is true and what is not.\u00a0 Therefore, what we will do now is look at the four, primary meanings and application of this word, and our source will be William F. Arndt and F. Wilber Gingrich\u2019s A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature<\/em>.\u00a0 As we do, I believe we will get a proper perspective on just exactly what Jesus was referring to with reference to \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>):<\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) \u2013 the first meaning is \u201cthose who are descended from a common ancestor, a clan<\/em>, race<\/em>, and kind<\/em> generation . . . such as the children of this age are more prudent in relation to their own clan (i.e., people of their own kind) than are the children of light, Luke 16:8.\u00a0 The meaning nation<\/em> is advocated by some in Mt 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 21:32; . . .\u201d[1]<\/a>\u00a0<\/sup> As we look at this meaning, it is interesting to note that here in Matthew 24:34, the very passage we are looking at, that many other scholars interpret \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) here as referring to the \u201cnation<\/em>\u201d of Israel.\u00a0 And does that make any sense at all?\u00a0 It would seem to make great sense, especially as we see the Jews now having reestablished their nationhood, but more importantly, the \u201crace<\/em>\u201d itself is still with us, surviving numerous attempts to destroy it over the past 2000 years (e.g., the Holocaust with Nazi Germany).<\/p>\n On the other hand, there are those scholars who believe the idea of \u201cclan<\/em>\u201d or \u201ckind<\/em>\u201d could also be referring to believers in Jesus Christ \u2013 i.e., the Church of Jesus Christ, not the Mormons, but the true and living body of born again believers in Jesus Christ \u201cwill not pass away IN ANY MANNER (emphasis of subjunctive of emphatic negation \u2013 my note<\/em>)\u201d until all of the things Jesus has talked about will occur.\u00a0 This, therefore, is not giving IN ANY WAY a time frame by which we can figure out when the rapture will occur because of current events, but rather Jesus is telling us that we need to be ready because His rapture and return are imminent and have been for 2000 years \u2013 \u201cBut do not let this one fact <\/em>escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day\u201d (II Peter 3:8), thus, according to God\u2019s timetable, it has been 2 days since Jesus spoke these words.<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) \u2013 the second meaning is \u201cthe sum total of those born at the same time, expanded to include all those living at a given time generation, contemporaries . . .; Jesus looks upon the whole contemporary generation of Jews as a uniform mass confronting him . . . Mt 11:16; 12:41f; 23:36; 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 7:31; 11:29-32, 50f; 17:25; 21:32.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 Thus, this use of the word is clearly emphasizing a contemporaneous, group of people who are living at the same general time.\u00a0 In addition, you will note that Matthew 24:34 is also included in this meaning, as some scholars do see Jesus as referring to the very people He was talking with at that time, versus a \u201crace<\/em>\u201d as the first meaning indicates.\u00a0 This interpretive meaning would fit with the Full Preterist View that maintains that all of the prophecies foretold by Jesus were fulfilled in 79 AD, which for those holding this view would mean that there was a \u201cspiritual,\u201d or perhaps a metaphorical fulfillment of many of the things Jesus said were going to happen.<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) \u2013 the third meaning is \u201cage<\/em>, the time of a generation . . . .\u00a0 Here the original sense gradually disappears, and the meaning, \u2018a period of time\u2019 remains.\u201d[3]<\/a>\u00a0 This too would certainly fit in with Matthew 24:34 in that Jesus is talking in much larger terms than our human capacity is able to initially conceive of \u2013 that is, as II Peter 3:8 indicates, \u201cwith the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,\u201d and thus, Jesus could very well be referring to the \u2018Church Age\u2019, or if you will, the time from His life, death, resurrection and the beginning of His Church, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:15-24), until His return, which would include the rapture and the Great Tribulation period.\u00a0 What is most interesting to note with this interpretive meaning is that \u201cage<\/em>\u201d has no time limits placed upon it \u2013 in other words, it is open ended.<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71<\/strong> <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) \u2013 the fourth meaning is \u201cthat of a family<\/em> or origin<\/em> (of a group or perhaps a race or kind \u2013 my note<\/em>) as in Acts 8:33 (\u201cIn humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who shall relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth\u201d \u2013 my quote<\/em>).\u201d[4]<\/a>\u00a0 This interpretive meaning may indeed be the broadest of the four, incorporating all three \u2013 i.e., a family<\/em>, race<\/em>, or kind<\/em>, as well as contemporary group of people, and then finally, and age<\/em> that has no definite time limits placed upon it.<\/p>\n As we have looked at the above definitions of the Greek word for \u201cgeneration\u201d \u2013\u00a0 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71 <\/strong>(genea<\/em>) \u2013 we are now in a much better position to make far more clear and better biblical decision as to not only what Jesus is asserting here with regard to \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f71 <\/strong>(genea<\/em>), but also what our attitude should be concerning His return and just how we should emphasize it.\u00a0 However, before we come to a conclusion on these matters, we need to look at one final section we are going to analyze in Matthew 24.<\/p>\n Stay tuned next week.<\/p>\nThis is the subjunctive of emphatic negation<\/h3>\n
What does the word \u201cgeneration\u201d mean?<\/h3>\n
Clan, race, or kind<\/h3>\n
Those born around the same time<\/h3>\n
Age or time<\/h3>\n
Family or origin<\/h3>\n