You, too, got the generation wrong because you did not compare it with the rest of the Scripture. For example:
Mat 23:34-36
(34) Wherefore, behold, I send unto
you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and
some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
(35) That upon
you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
(36) Verily I say unto you,
All these things shall come upon this generation.
The verses preceding these three gives the context and QUALIFIES these passages that we understand Christ is referring to them as the OFFSPRING or CHILDREN of Satan. In other words, they are the same FAMILY, the GENERATION of evil. They aren't any different, despite their (and yours) protests to the contrary. Sound familiar?
Mat 23:29-33
(29) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
(30) And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers,
we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
(31) Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that
ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
(32)
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
(33)
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
These are the verses that lead up to those I quoted. They illustrate that though these people believe that they are children of God, yet Christ said
they are actually of the very same family of Satan that killed the Prophets. Christ is here talking to the
unfaithful congregation of His day, declaring them the GENERATION (family) of evil that kills God's prophets. In other words, Satan was their father, and his deeds are what they do, as contrasted with the offspring or children of God. And as the Generation or family of evil,
they are the exact same generation that killed Abel and the prophets of old. They are thus measured the same as that generation,
because they are that generation that killed/kills God's prophets. They are the fruit of children of their father. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Therefore, it was THIS Generation, the fruit, offspring or spiritual family of Satan, who killed them. Who's responsible for the blood of the prophets? Satan, and ALL those ruled over by him. And the end-time Church is that SAME GENERATION or FAMILY of Satan, and thus the same family that killed Abel, Jesus, Stephen, and maybe our uncle. Again, see the context of the verse:
Mat 23:30-32
(30) And say,
If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
(31) Wherefore
ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
(32)
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Those people were not literally alive when their
family in the past actually killed the prophets, but God makes it perfectly clear that though they (like many today) protest that they are the Good God-fearing congregation, but
in reality they are actually the children of Satan. Why? Because they are the
same spiritual offspring of those who killed the prophets, and are measured the same as those who killed them. Who killed them? The whole generation of Evil, the same generation they are part of. Selah.
Matthew 23:35-36
- " That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
- Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."
What Generation? Certainly not the so-called 40 years generation of Matthew, Mark Luke and John of that Physical/literal Generation. Blah, blah blah...but the Generation of evil that span from Cain to Jesus time, and to our times,
of which these in unbelief were. They were of that same kindred that killed the prophets, and thus will be judged the same for killing the prophets. That word translated generation is [genea] from the root [genos] meaning kindred or family. It's used to designate nations, because they are of one family or common ancestry. So Christ is saying that this generation of evil will not end until all prophecies, including the end-time , when Christ returns, are fulfilled first. Then all the wicked people of that family or generation of evil will finally end and end up being thrown into Lake of Fire.
So, Hammster, not only that some people are wrong to apply the generation to some "future generation" that has to do with 1948/1967 Israel, but you are also wrong to apply the generation to the first century. Christ is talking about the ongoing whole
generation or family of evil that included the Pharisees, Scribes, and all unbelieving Jews who are
merely part of! It did not stop in 70AD. It continued until our days... until Christ returns. Selah!