A breakdown of Matthew 24:34 in context:
**Matthew 24:34 (KJV):**
“Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
– **”Verily I say unto you”:** Jesus emphasizes the truth of His statement, highlighting its importance. This was addressed to His disciples.
– **”This generation”:** This refers to the people living at that time, witnessing the events Jesus prophesied, including His disciples and those contemporaneous with Him.
– **”Shall not pass”:** Indicates that this generation will not cease to exist or be completed before the fulfillment of the events prophesied by Jesus.
– **”Till all these things be fulfilled”:** Until the foretold signs, such as wars, famines, earthquakes, and the destruction of the temple, would take place within the lifetime of that generation. The culmination of these events occurred with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
Matthew 24:34 is part of Jesus’ discourse about the signs of the end times. Here, Jesus says, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” The “I” refers to Jesus, the “you” addresses His disciples, and the audience includes both His disciples and contemporary believers. Jesus primarily speaks to His disciples, warning them about the destruction of the temple and providing signs that would precede it. The “generation” He mentions refers to the people living at that time, witnessing the events He prophesied. These events include wars, famines, earthquakes, and the abomination of desolation. The fulfillment of these signs would culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which occurred in AD 70.