In Matthew chapter 24 verse 34 we read these words of Jesus:
Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. Matthew 24:34
Since 1925 the Watchtower society has taught that Jesus was enthroned invisibly in the heavens in 1914. ( The Watchtower March 1, 1925 pg. 69 par. 27)
From that time on, mankind is said to have experienced all of the conditions Jesus prophesied would occur in that chapter and that a generation would not pass away until the end of the world system of things occurred. But how long is a generation?
Now if you were asked by someone to identify a scripture that tells us what a generation is, what scripture would you turn to? David Splane’s choice in the September 2015 broadcast was Exodus 1:6
Joseph eventually died, and also all his brothers and all that generation. (Exodus 1:6)
He continued:
“Now what do we know about Joseph’s family? We know that Joseph had eleven brothers. Ten of them were older than Joseph. One of them, Benjamin was younger. And we know that at least two of Joseph’s brothers lived longer because the Bible says that on his death bed he called his brothers plural to him. But now what did Joseph and his brothers all have in common? They were all contemporaries. They had all lived at the same time. They were part of the same generation. Now suppose there was a man that died ten minutes before Joseph was born. Would he be part of Joseph’s generation? No. Because he never lived at the same time as Joseph. He was not a contemporary of Joseph’s. Now suppose there was a little baby that was born ten minutes after Joseph died. Would the baby be part of Joseph’s generation? Again no. Because the baby did not live at the same time as Joseph. For the man and the baby to be part of Joseph’s generation, they would have had to have lived at least some time during Joseph’s lifespan. So, now we’ve discovered what it means to have a generation, what makes up a generation. It’s a group of contemporaries. It’s a group of people that have lived at the same time.” (David Splane September 2015 broadcast)
So, according to Splane if a man died ten minutes after Joseph was born or a baby was born ten minutes before Joseph died, both of them would be considered part of Joseph’s generation. It is puzzling why he makes this statement since even though the baby and the man could be said to be contemporaries of Joseph, it is impossible for them, living at opposite ends of Joseph’s lifetime, to be contemporaries of each other.
However, does the Bible, in its description of a generation, anywhere include within it parents, grandparents as well as children and grandchildren because such are contemporaries?
If I were asked by someone to identify a scripture that tells us what a generation is, my choice would be Numbers 32:11-13
‘The men who came up out of Egypt from 20 years old and up will not see the land of which I have sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not followed me wholeheartedly— 12 except Caʹleb the son of Je·phunʹneh the Kenʹiz·zite and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have followed Jehovah wholeheartedly.’ 13 So Jehovah’s anger blazed against Israel and he made them wander about in the wilderness for 40 years, until all the generation that was doing evil in the eyes of Jehovah came to its end. (Numbers 32:11-13)
If the way David Splane explains “this generation” is Biblically correct, why did Jehovah make the Israelites wander in the wilderness for only 40 years? Wouldn’t they have had to wander for an additional 20-60 years until those who were contemporaries of the rebellious Israelites also passed away?
What about a baby born ten minutes before Joseph died. Would he be part of Joseph’s generation? What does the Bible say?
Joseph saw the third generation of Eʹphra·im’s sons, also the sons of Maʹchir, Ma·nasʹseh’s son. They were born upon Joseph’s knees. (Genesis 50:23)
Even though these sons of Ephraim and Machir were indeed babies born during Joseph’s lifetime the Bible does not include them as part of Joseph’s generation.
Here are some other examples:
You must not bow down to them nor be enticed to serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a God who requires exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation of those who hate me, (Exodus 20:5)
“showing loyal love to thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:7)
‘Jehovah, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love, pardoning error and transgression, but he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.’ (Numbers 14:18)
“You must not bow down to them nor be led to serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a God who requires exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation of those who hate me, (Deuteronomy 5:9)
The third generation of children born to them may enter the congregation of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 23:8)
“He established a reminder in Jacob And set a law in Israel; He commanded our forefathers To make these things known to their children, So that the next generation, The children yet to be born, might know them. They in turn would relate them to their children.” (Ps 78:5, 6)
“Tell about it to your sons, And let your sons tell about it to their sons, And their sons to the next generation.” (Joe 1:3)
Finally, since it is Jesus words in Matthew 24:34 that are being considered would not the fulfillment of his prophecy upon Jerusalem in the first century give an indication of how long he understood a generation to be?
Jesus gave his prophecy in 33 CE. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 CE, within just one generation 37 years later, leaving not a stone upon a stone. What scriptural basis does anyone have for saying Jesus was also speaking about two groups of anointed followers 2,000 years in the future?
Matthew records Jesus words during his trial that the scribes and Pharisees would see him coming on the clouds:
But Jesus kept silent. So the high priest said to him: “I put you under oath by the living God to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus said to him: “You yourself said it. But I say to you: From now on you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63, 64) It is quite possible this is what Jesus meant when he said “he is near at the door:
Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. (Matthew 24:33) Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:31)
Yet, there is another layer to David Splane’s definition of a generation. Since Jesus was speaking to his disciples when he said: “Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.” (Matt. 24:33) he obviously meant a generation of anointed disciples, even though, when he spoke those words, his disciples were not anointed yet. That means it is not just a matter of when a person is born but when a person is anointed. In other words, this generation is a generation of anointed ones whose anointings overlap. But Jesus does not say this generation of anointed ones. This is simply going beyond the things that have been written. True, he did indicate that his disciples would understand the significance of what was happening, but they were still part of the generation that saw all the things he told them including the end of the Jewish system of things.
But did Jesus indicate that his prophecy would have a greater fulfillment beyond that? No. This is just another example of the society’s calling something a type or miniature fulfillment of a future anti-type or greater fulfillment when there is no scriptural warrant for doing so.
C. T. Russell believed he lived during a future fulfillment of “this generation”:
“Those who are walking with us in the light of present truth are not looking for things to come which are already here, but are waiting for the consummation of matters already in progress. Or, since the Master said, “When ye shall see all these things,” and since “the sign of the Son of Man in heaven,” and the budding fig tree, and the gathering of “the elect” are counted among the signs, it would not be inconsistent to reckon the “generation” from 1878 to 1914—36 1/2 years—about the average of human life today. . (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 4 The Battle of Armageddon pg. 605)
Since what he expected did not occur in 1914, the organization has repeatedly shifted its definition of the “generation” of Matthew 24:34, which it now links to the date 1914 as the beginning of the time of the end and which “generation” is not to pass away before the final end of the world system of things arrives. Consider the following:
In his book Crisis of Conscience Raymond Franz writes: “
In the 1940s the view held
was that a “generation” covered
a period of about 30 to 40
years. This lent itself to the constant insistence on the extreme
shortness of time left. At least some Bible examples could also be
cited as corroboration. (See, for example, Numbers 32:13.)
With the arrival of the 1950s, however, the time period provided by
that definition had effectively elapsed. Some “stretching” was needed,
and hence in the September 1, 1952 Watchtower, pages 542, 543, the
definition was changed and, for the first time, the time period covered
by a “generation” was defined as representing an entire lifetime,
thus running—not just for 30 or 40 years—but for 70, 80, or more years.” (Crisis of Conscience Fifth Edition pg. 290)
(1) Seventy or eighty years
“Your publications point out that the battle of Armageddon will come in this generation, and that this generation began A.D. 1914. Scripturally, how long is a generation?—G. P., Liberia.
Webster’s unabridged dictionary gives, in part, this definition of generation: “The average lifetime of man, or the ordinary period of time at which one rank follows another, or father is succeeded by child; an age. A generation is usually taken to be about 33 years.” But the Bible is not so specific. It gives no number of years for a generation. And in Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32, the texts mentioning the generation the question refers to, we are not to take generation as meaning the average time for one generation to be succeeded by the next, as Webster’s does in its 33-year approximation; but rather more like Webster’s first-quoted definition, “the average lifetime of man.” Three or even four generations may be living at the same time, their lives overlapping. (Ps. 78:4; 145:4) Before the Noachian flood the life span was hundreds of years. Down through the centuries since, it has varied, and even now is different in different countries. The Bible does speak of a man’s days as being threescore and ten or fourscore years; but it assigns no specific number of years to a generation.—Ps. 90:10. (The Watchtower September 1 1952 pgs 542-543)
(2) Those of the new creation with no reference to time.
Question: In Matthew 24: 34 Jesus said : “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” What did he mean by “this generation” ?
Answer: It could hardly be said that he meant any human being living on the earth at that time. He was giving testimony concerning things that were to transpire at the end of the world. That was a long way off. No generation of the human race has ever existed as long as a thousand years. It follows then that Jesus must have meant something else. What could he have meant? At the Jordan, Jehovah started a new generation, a new creation, of which Christ Jesus is the Head. Jesus selected twelve disciples, who were with him for three and one-half years. Eleven of these we have every reason to believe constitute. a part of that new creation.
In 1 Peter 2: 9 the apostle, speaking to the church of course, referred to those who are faithful. The irresistible conclusion therefore is that Jesus referred to the new creation when he said: “This generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled.” This then would be strong indication that some members of the new creation will be on the earth at the time of Armageddon. (The Watchtower February 15 1927 pg. 62)
(3) Those old enough to witness with understanding, about 15 years of age in 1914
The October 8, 1968 Awake! came out with this statement:
“Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the “last days” began. Jesus was saying that some of those persons who were alive at the appearance of the ‘sign of the last days’ would still be alive when God brought this system to its end.
Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of “this generation” some 70 years old today. So the great majority of the generation to which Jesus was referring would already have passed away in death. The remaining ones are approaching old age. And remember, Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death. This, of itself, tells us that the years left before the foretold end comes cannot be many.” (Awake October 8, 1968 pgs. 13-14)
(4) Those old enough to witness but not understand. Maybe not 15 years old but certainly not babies in 1914
Ten years later, when that “youngest” member of the “generation”would have then been 80 years old, the October 1, 1978, Watchtower made a slight shift:
“Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the “generation” logically would not apply to babies born during World War I. It applies to Christ’s followers and others who were able to observe that war and the other things that have occurred in fulfillment of Jesus’ composite “sign.” Some of such persons “will by no means pass away until” all of what Christ prophesied occurs, including the end of the present wicked system.” (The Watchtower October 1, 1978 pg. 31)
The 1968 Awake had said Jesus’ words “obviously” referred to persons old enough to understand and be “perceptive enough to realize the import” of what took place in 1914. Now, ten years later, the 1978 Watchtower said it could include those who could “observe” such things as World War I and other conditions. At the same time, it emphatically ruled out application to those who were merely newborn babies at that time.
(5) Those 10 years old in 1914
Two years later, the October 15, 1980 Watchtower said the following:
“As indicated by an article on page 56 of U.S. News & World Report of January 14, 1980, “If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event creates a lasting impression on a person’s memory,” then there are today more than 13 million Americans who have a “recollection of World War I.” And if the wicked system of this world survived until the turn of the century, which is highly improbable in view of world trends and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, there would still be survivors of the World War I generation. However, the fact that their number is dwindling is one more indication that “the conclusion of the system of things” is moving fast toward its end.” (The Watchtower October 15, 1980 pg. 31)
(6) Babies born during 1914
Four years later, the May 15, 1984 Watchtower said the following:
“The Greek word rendered “generation” in the Bible has been defined as, “Those born at the same time . . . Associated with this is the meaning: the body of one’s contemporaries, an age.” (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology) “The sum total of those born at the same time, expanded to include all those living at a given time generation, contemporaries.” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from Walter Bauer’s Fifth Edition, 1958) These definitions embrace both those born around the time of a historic event and all those alive at that time.
If Jesus used “generation” in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older.” (The Watchtower May 15, 1984 pgs. 4-7)
( 7) The people of earth that see the sign but fail to mend their ways with no reference to time.
11 This was not the first time that the apostles heard Jesus make this comparison of ‘generations,’ for some days earlier he had stated concerning himself: “The Son of man . . . must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation. Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man.” (Luke 17:24-26) Thus, Matthew chapter 24 and Luke chapter 17 make the same comparison. In Noah’s day “all flesh [that] had ruined its way on the earth” and that was destroyed at the Flood was “this generation.” In Jesus’ day the apostate Jewish people that were rejecting Jesus was “this generation.”—Genesis 6:11, 12; 7:1.
12 Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, “this generation” apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways. (The Watchtower November 1, 1995 pg. 19)
Also in this year there was a change to the masthead in the inside cover of Awake magazine. The October 22nd issue read: “Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.”
The November 8th issue read: “
Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things.”
(8) Christ’s faithful anointed brothers, as a class who have recognized the sign and have understood its true meaning.
13 Jesus said that it was his disciples, soon to be anointed with holy spirit, who should be able to draw certain conclusions when they saw “all these things” occur. So Jesus must have been referring to his disciples when he made the statement: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur…”
15 Those without spiritual understanding today have felt that there has been no “striking observableness” with regard to the sign of Jesus’ presence. They reason that everything is continuing on as it did in the past. (2 Pet. 3:4) On the other hand, Christ’s faithful anointed brothers, the modern-day John class, have recognized this sign as if it were a flash of lightning and have understood its true meaning. As a class, these anointed ones make up the modern-day “generation” of contemporaries that will not pass away “until all these things occur.” This suggests that some who are Christ’s anointed brothers will still be alive on earth when the foretold great tribulation begins. (The Watchtower February 15, 2008 pgs.23-24 pars. 13-15)
This understanding reverts back to the discarded teaching in 1927 outlined in example (2).
Their lives overlap with those who saw the sign in 1914.
[Box on page 25] Can We Calculate the Length of “This Generation”?
The word “generation” usually refers to people of various ages whose lives overlap during a particular time period or event. For example, Exodus 1:6 tells us: “Eventually Joseph died, and also all his brothers and all that generation.” Joseph and his brothers varied in age, but they shared a common experience during the same time period. Included in “that generation” were some of Joseph’s brothers who were born before him. Some of these outlived Joseph. (Gen. 50:24) Others of “that generation,” such as Benjamin, were born after Joseph was born and may have lived on after he died. So when the term “generation” is used with reference to people living at a particular time, the exact length of that time cannot be stated except that it does have an end and would not be excessively long. Therefore, by using the term “this generation,” as recorded at Matthew 24:34, Jesus did not give his disciples a formula to enable them to determine when “the last days” would end. Rather, Jesus went on to emphasize that they would not know “that day and hour.”—2 Tim. 3:1; Matt. 24:36.
- In 1927 there was no reference to the age of persons of “this generation”.
- Seventy or eighty years
- In 1968 you had to be old enough to witness the events with understanding (15 yrs old)
- In 1978 you could witness the events but it was not necessary to understand
- In 1980 you could be 10 years old
- In 1984 you could be a baby born during 1914
- In 1995 it was people of earth that fail to mend their ways with no reference to age.
- In 2008 the lives of anointed ones that overlap with those that saw the sign.
What would account for all of these changes in this one doctrine through the years? Is it the result of divine guidance? Really the problem is manifold. First it is the application of a prophecy that had its fulfillment in the first century. It was meant for the disciples to know the nearness of the destruction of the temple and the Jewish system of things. But in their classic type-antitype fashion, the organization applied it secondarily to the destruction of the entire world system of things of our present day. Secondly, it is the assumption that Jesus presence would be invisible, thus needing a sign. Third, it is the setting of the date 1914 as the beginning of the sign of his invisible presence. Fourth, that Jesus was speaking of a generation of anointed ones that saw parts of a series of events, not a generation that experienced all the same events.
Identifying-False-ProphetsOver 100 years has now passed since 1914. The ‘generation’ of anointed ones who were alive for that event have almost certainly passed away. It would still be a stretch to even say the same about any member of the anointed ones who was just born in 1914 the moment before Christ supposedly took his throne. For even then, that baby would have to be over 100 years old! None of the current members of the governing body are anywhere near that old (the oldest is Samuel Herd, who was born in 1935).
Rather than admitting Jesus words have no modern day fulfillment or the date 1914 could possibly be wrong, the governing body’s solution has been to change the definition of “this generation”. The present claim is that ‘this generation’ applies to anointed ones whose lives overlap with other anointed ones who were anointed prior to 1914. (See The Watchtower January 15, 2014 pgs. 30-31 pars. 14-16)
The example they give is of Fred Franz, who was a prominent member of the governing body and died in 1992. They claim that anyone who was anointed during the lifetime of Fred Franz would be a member of ‘this generation’. But that would mean it is not necessary for them to see the things Fred Franz had seen.
Both the words generation and contemporary are defined as people born and living at about the same time. Jesus said this generation would see “all these things”, events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem, and there is no scripture that demonstrates he meant individuals born after those events. Exodus 1:5,6 specifically defines the generation as those born of Jacob that experienced the same event.
Now these are the names of Israel’s sons who came into Egypt with Jacob, each man who came with his household: Reuʹben, Simʹe·on, Leʹvi, and Judah; Isʹsa·char, Zebʹu·lun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphʹta·li; Gad and Ashʹer. 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. (Exodus 1:1-6)
What generation? Joseph and his brothers and those of about the same age.
We find the same thing in the genealogical record in Matthew chapter 1:
The book of the history of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham: Abraham became father to Isaac; Isaac became father to Jacob; Jacob became father to Judah and his brothers; Judah became father to Peʹrez and Zeʹrah by Taʹmar; Peʹrez became father to Hezʹron; Hezʹron became father to Ram; Ram became father to Am·minʹa·dab; Am·minʹa·dab became father to Nahʹshon; Nahʹshon became father to Salʹmon; Salʹmon became father to Boʹaz by Raʹhab; Boʹaz became father to Oʹbed by Ruth; Oʹbed became father to Jesʹse; Jesʹse became father to David the king. David became father to Solʹo·mon by the wife of U·riʹah; Matthew 1:1-6
All the generations, then, from Abraham until David were 14 generations; Matthew 1:17
In this list of 14 generations from Abraham to David, Judah and his brothers comprise one generation. The previous generation would have been Jacob’s while the one following would have been Perez and Zerah’s generation.
In an interview with R. P. Johnson, Mark Sanderson made that very point:
Exodus 1:6 was David Splane’s choice of a scripture to explain what Jesus meant by “this generation”. It actually harmonizes with what occurred historically 37 years after Jesus gave his prophecy. But it is not possible for these words to be stretched to encompass the longer time span we find ourselves in since 1914 in our day. One has to wonder why this scripture was never appealed to in any Watchtower article on the subject prior to 2008. Never before has a generation been explained in the Watchtower to include more than one group of people. Never before has the phrase overlapping been used in connection with it. Why now? It is difficult to think that the fact that it is impossible for even babies born in 1914 to survive in order to witness the great tribulation had nothing to do with it.
For more information on the topic of this generation I highly recommend watching this video