Biblical Criticism – This Generation Shall Not Pass Till All These Things Be Fulfilled
In this lecture, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains the meaning of Jesus’ saying:
“Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30). He clarifies that this statement refers not to Christ’s Second Coming, but to the destruction of Jerusalem, which actually took place within that generation.
Two Layers of Prophecy:
The Pope points out that both Matthew 24 and Mark 13 contain dual prophecies referring to:
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The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.
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The Second Coming of Christ at the end of the age.
These two themes are interwoven in the text, which often leads to confusion.
Meaning of “This Generation”:
The phrase “this generation shall not pass” refers to those who lived to see Jerusalem’s fall in A.D. 70, under the Roman commander Titus, roughly 36 years after Christ’s crucifixion. Thus, the prophecy was fulfilled exactly as Jesus declared.
Distinguishing the Two Comings:
The cosmic signs — “the sun shall be darkened, the stars shall fall, and the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven” — refer to Christ’s Second Coming, not to the destruction of Jerusalem. The first was a symbolic and judicial coming, the second will be visible and glorious at the end of time.
Further Clarification:
When Jesus said, “You will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes”, this, too, refers to His invisible coming in judgment upon Jerusalem, not His final return.
Faith Message:
The Pope concludes that Christ’s words are accurate and trustworthy. The prophecies concerning Jerusalem were literally fulfilled within that generation, while the promise of His final return remains for the appointed time. Thus, Scripture’s truth is consistent, showing both immediate and future fulfillment of divine prophecy.
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