Need help understanding the Overlapping Generation teaching (page 3)

Which generation was Christ referring to in Matthew 24:34?

The Greek word “genea” (pronounced ghen-eh-ah') appears thirteen times in Matthew's gospel. Four times it is used to delineate “one set of parents to the next”. Ignoring Matthew 24:34 for the moment, in every other appearance, including 6 of the instances Matthew places the definite article “this” (houtos) before “generation”, “this generation” (houtos genea), in context, clearly cover the same group of people -i.e. “Christ's contemporaries”

Mt 11:16 But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, (the persons then living contemporary with Christ)

Mt 12:41 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.(the persons then living contemporary with Christ)

Mt 12:42 "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. (the persons then living contemporary with Christ).

Mt 12:45 "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself.... That is the way it will also be with this evil generation ." (the persons then living contemporary with Christ)

Mt 17:17 And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? ..." (the persons then living contemporary with Christ)

Mt 23:36 "Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Reading Mt.23:36 in context again shows " the persons then living contemporary with Christ are being referred to:

29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. :33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of Gehenna? 34 Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city: 35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. (the persons then living contemporary with Christ)
Mt 24:34: "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
What generation was Jesus referring to Matthew 24:34? There are only 2 ways that the word "generation" is used in the gospels. Overlapping is not one of them.

Jules Saturn

@Vanderhoven7

Thank you for all of that information, very useful and appreciated.

Finkelstein

The WTS has been involved in theological bullshit since its inception as a religious publishing house.

The over lapping generation doctrines is a continuation of that TB.

The WTS has been propagating that mankind is living in the last days since 1914 when Jesus supposedly took to his heavenly throne at that year so every following doctrine has to support that date and significance.

Twisting bible scripture to suit the WTS needs and viability is what the leaders of this organization do, they essentially have to keep up its viability of Jehovah actually choosing this organization exclusively.

Now the WTS is trying to extend these supposed " Last Days " because it has to and one can surmise why it didn't present this doctrine 50 60 years ago ???

Beth Sarim

I think I mentioned something about this ''generation overlap'' the other day on a different thread.

After the R.C. a few weeks ago, a bunch of ''attendees'' decided to go for dinner after the afternoon sessions concluded. It came-up over dinner about this ''generation overlap'' while eating. A few people discussed back and forth their opinions of ''generation overlap'', and what they though about this means that and who's going to be who until the ''end'' comes or who is going to be where and on and on...!!

I sat there listening to the whole conversation(s) back and forth. I mean to sum it all up how it sounded is, PAINFUL', it was almost painful to listen to. Painful to the ears to hear their feeble minds trying to wrap around the ''new understanding'', just trying to convince themselves at no end that it was ''gospel'' from the GB. You could almost hear gears grinding and sparks flying in their minds to convince themselves 100%. Hard to listen to.

Finkelstein

The Watchtower Corporation is very much a commercialized false prophet/profit $$$

baldeagle

The WT leaders have attempted to explain on several occasions how; "the overlapping generation" has to involve "two groups of anointed Christians." These two groups must be "anointed contemporaries" of each other. Also understood are those, "in this second group are themselves advancing in years."

The WTS is trying to emphasize that the second group are quite elderly “advanced in years” in so doing; this should stress the nearness of Armageddon. They have basically gone back to their original idea that these anointed ones are getting old, and will not “pass away before seeing the start of the great tribulation.” This should instill a sense of urgency for JW’s that “little time remains.” It’s the same old doctrine just incorporating or allowing another generation to piggyback on it. It’s all made-up, designed to keep JW’s on the edge believing that the end is “just around the corner.”

Their being locked into the year 1914 is causing all this insanity in trying to teach a doctrine that makes no sense. In time, they will just piggyback a third group onto the first two when this teaching becomes unsustainable.

steve2

The JW GB motto is:

Keep preaching what we tell you to preach until it is no longer tenable and then we will think of a way round the difficulty and persuade you to change what you preach by calling it "new light".

You will support the new light upon pain of congregational disciplinary measures.

Thus, a decade or two after the 1914 generation doctrine became untenable ( because that generation had virtually all passed away), the GB came up with a way round the difficulty and called it "new light".

That's all you need to know. Really.

sparrowdown

The overlapping generation crapola is just the interum teaching to dropping 1914.

zeb

I recall in the mid '70's they hammered on about 'parousia' being the presence of Christ. and then in the mid '80s a wt (wish i had kept it) made the statement that Christ may return physically when for years they had ranted on about a 'spiritual' presence.

Giordano you have itin one..

Need help understanding the Overlapping Generation teaching

Which generation was Christ referring to in Matthew 24:34?

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