Kata Markon

[HStaiti AT aol.com]

I have got a problem and need some resolution...

At the end of his apocalyptic discourse, Mark does not write exact ~time~ 
when the parousa will take place, but he does give us a definite ~time 
period~ before which they will take place. 
    "~This generation~ will certainly not pass away until all 
     ~these things~ have happened." V.30

We have to acknowledge the difficulty here. "All these things" were to happen 
in "this generation."  Since all of the things described in 5-23 did happen 
in the generation of the first century Christians, and since the Son of Man 
did not return as predicted in verses 24-27, and since we are assurred in 
verses 28-30,  there seems to be a tremendeous grammatical difficulty here. 

The parable says that the return is to be immanent - like summer before a 
budding fig tree.

Two interpretations have historically been offered to get around this problem
1.  "This Generation" may also be interpreted "this race." 
That is to say, "'The Jewish Race' will survive, not pass away, until the end 
of the age."
Or mankind in general, "Humanity will survive, not pass away, until the end 
of the age."
Or Christians, "Believers will survive, not pass away, until the end of the 
age."

However, of the 26 time "hey genea" is used in the NT, it is never used 
except as "the present generation."

2.  It seems that "this Generation" is more easily interpreted as the literal 
generation of the first century which actually experienced all of "these 
things" in 13.5-23 and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. However, that 
cannot be if the solemnity of v.30-31 is taken seriously.

Any ideas?

Is it possible that Jesus and the gospel writers intentially used such an 
ambiguous word as "genea," purposely used knowing that it could be used in a 
narrower or a wider sense?

I need some help...


Peace to you,
Harry Staiti
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evangel Assembly of God

"A Life-Giving Church"
www.EvangelAssemblyOfGod.org (UPDATED Jan 2, 2001)
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