Luke 21:32
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Jesus spoke these words circa AD 30-33. The generation He addressed witnessed every sign described in verses 5-24: false messiahs arose (Acts 5:36-37, Jewish War 2.13.4-5), earthquakes struck (Acts 16:26), persecution intensified (Acts 7-8, 12), Jerusalem was surrounded by armies and destroyed (AD 70), and Jews were dispersed into all nations. Josephus, born AD 37, witnessed and recorded the fulfillment—validating Jesus' prophecy within the generation addressed. This literal fulfillment demonstrates Jesus' prophetic reliability and establishes confidence that unfulfilled prophecies (Christ's return) will likewise occur. Early church's expectation of Christ's imminent return wasn't error but reasonable inference from this teaching, later clarified by apostolic instruction about God's timeline (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Questions for Reflection
- How does the literal fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy within the generation addressed validate His prophetic authority and establish confidence in unfulfilled prophecies?
- What is the relationship between near-term fulfillment (AD 70) and ultimate fulfillment (Second Coming) in Jesus' eschatological teaching?
- How should the certainty of 'all be fulfilled' shape Christian confidence in Scripture's reliability and God's sovereign control of history?
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Analysis & Commentary
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Jesus introduces solemn certainty—amēn legō hymin (ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, "truly I say to you") is His signature formula guaranteeing truthfulness. The phrase hē genea autē ou mē parelthē (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ, "this generation shall certainly not pass away") uses emphatic double negative for absolute certainty. The demonstrative autē (αὕτη, "this") specifies the generation addressed—Jesus' contemporaries, not some distant future generation.
The temporal limit is heōs an panta genētai (ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται, "until all things happen"). The adjective panta (πάντα, "all things") is crucial—what "all" encompasses determines interpretation. Context suggests primary reference to Jerusalem's destruction and related signs (vv. 5-24), which did occur within that generation (AD 30-70). The verb genētai (γένηται, "happen") is aorist subjunctive—when these things occur (fulfilled in AD 70), the prophecy is validated.
The interpretive challenge: does "all" include Christ's return (vv. 25-28)? Preterist interpreters say yes, seeing AD 70 as the coming in judgment. Futurist interpreters distinguish near-term fulfillment (AD 70) from distant fulfillment (Second Coming), understanding "all" as referring to Jerusalem's destruction specifically. A third view sees "generation" as the Jewish race—preserved until Christ returns. The text's primary meaning likely refers to AD 70, validating Jesus' prophetic authority for that generation while establishing patterns for ultimate fulfillment.