Jerry Shugart
Well-known member
Let us look at this passage:
Since the Lord Jesus has not yet returned to the earth it is certain that the generation (genea) who lived in the first century did not see Him in the clouds. So the last verse in "bold" must mean something other than the idea that those living in the first century saw Him in the clouds.
One of the meanings of the Greek word genea which is found in the Lidell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon is "family":
"genea,, a/j, Ion. geneh,, h/j( h`, Ep. dat. geneh/fi: (gi,gnomai): I. of the persons in a family, 1. race, stock, family, Hom., etc.; Pria,mou g. Il.; evk geneh/j according to his family, Ib.; geneh/| by birth-right, Od.; geneh.n Aivtwlo,j by descent, Il.:-of horses, a breed, Ib.:-generally, geneh,n in kind, Hdt.:-also a tribe, nation, Persw/n g. Aesch. 2. a race, generation, oi[hper fu,llwn geneh. toih,de kai. avndrw/n Il.; du,o geneai. avnqrw,pwn Ib. 3. offspring, Orac. ap. Hdt.; and of a single person, Soph. II. of time or place in reference to birth: 1. a birth-place, geneh. evpi. li,mnh| Gugai,h| Il.; of an eagle's eyrie, Od. 2. age, time of life, esp. in phrases geneh/| new,tatoj( presbu,tatoj youngest, eldest, in age, or by birth, Hom. 3. time of birth, evk geneh/j Hdt.; avpo. g. Xen."
Therefore, there can be no doubt that one of the meanings of the Greek word translated "generation" is "family" and it will now be demonstrated that "family" is the correct translation at Luke 21:32. Therefore, the correct translation in the following verse is this one:
"Verily I say unto you, This family (genea) shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled" (Lk.21:32).
The family refers to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Lord Jesus' sermon foretold of the "great tribulation," a time when Israel will be attacked unmercifully in an attempt to destroy the whole family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore it would not be unusual for the Lord Jesus to assure them that they will not be wiped out and that they will continue to exist. Therefore, He told them that the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would still be in existence when He returned to the earth.
In fact, this is not the first time that such assurance had been given to the Israelites, as witnessed by these words:
According to the Lord as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky the nation of Israel will remain "being a nation" before Him. So there is nothing odd about the Lord Jesus telling the Israelites that "this family shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled," especially with the great tribulation in view.
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation (genea) shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled" (Lk.21:27-32).
Since the Lord Jesus has not yet returned to the earth it is certain that the generation (genea) who lived in the first century did not see Him in the clouds. So the last verse in "bold" must mean something other than the idea that those living in the first century saw Him in the clouds.
One of the meanings of the Greek word genea which is found in the Lidell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon is "family":
"genea,, a/j, Ion. geneh,, h/j( h`, Ep. dat. geneh/fi: (gi,gnomai): I. of the persons in a family, 1. race, stock, family, Hom., etc.; Pria,mou g. Il.; evk geneh/j according to his family, Ib.; geneh/| by birth-right, Od.; geneh.n Aivtwlo,j by descent, Il.:-of horses, a breed, Ib.:-generally, geneh,n in kind, Hdt.:-also a tribe, nation, Persw/n g. Aesch. 2. a race, generation, oi[hper fu,llwn geneh. toih,de kai. avndrw/n Il.; du,o geneai. avnqrw,pwn Ib. 3. offspring, Orac. ap. Hdt.; and of a single person, Soph. II. of time or place in reference to birth: 1. a birth-place, geneh. evpi. li,mnh| Gugai,h| Il.; of an eagle's eyrie, Od. 2. age, time of life, esp. in phrases geneh/| new,tatoj( presbu,tatoj youngest, eldest, in age, or by birth, Hom. 3. time of birth, evk geneh/j Hdt.; avpo. g. Xen."
Therefore, there can be no doubt that one of the meanings of the Greek word translated "generation" is "family" and it will now be demonstrated that "family" is the correct translation at Luke 21:32. Therefore, the correct translation in the following verse is this one:
"Verily I say unto you, This family (genea) shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled" (Lk.21:32).
The family refers to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Lord Jesus' sermon foretold of the "great tribulation," a time when Israel will be attacked unmercifully in an attempt to destroy the whole family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore it would not be unusual for the Lord Jesus to assure them that they will not be wiped out and that they will continue to exist. Therefore, He told them that the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would still be in existence when He returned to the earth.
In fact, this is not the first time that such assurance had been given to the Israelites, as witnessed by these words:
"Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: If this fixed order departs From before Me, declares the LORD, Then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever" (Jer.31:35-36).
According to the Lord as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky the nation of Israel will remain "being a nation" before Him. So there is nothing odd about the Lord Jesus telling the Israelites that "this family shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled," especially with the great tribulation in view.
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