"This generation" refers to Jesus's contemporaries who would witness "all these things" [πάντα ταῦτα] as outlined in verses 4–31, including Jesus' second coming (Davies & Allison 1997: 367–368; Hare 1993: 281; Maddox 1982: 111–115). Because Jesus' contemporaries did not witness his second coming, some contend that Jesus erred in his predictions (Luz 2005: 209; cf. Schweitzer 1910: 356–364). "This generation" refers to Jesus's contemporaries who would witness "all these things" as outlined in verses 4–22 or 4–28, pointing to the destruction of the temple in 70 CE and everything leading up to it. Jesus' second coming (vv. 29–31) is thus excluded from "all these things" (Blomberg 1992: 364; Carson 1984: 507; France 2007: 930; Hagner 1995: 715). "This generation" points to the Ἰουδαῖοι [Jews or Judaeans], implying that they as a race would last until the Parousia (Hendriksen 1973: 868–869; Schweizer 1976: 458). In patristic opinion, "this generation" points to the church against which the gates of Hades would not prevail (cf. Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 77:1; Eusebius, Frag. in Lc. ad loc). 'This generation' points to some future generation, from Matthew's perspective, that sees "all these things" (Bock 1996: 538–539; Conzelmann 1982: 105). The words "take place" or "have happened" [γένηται] are interpreted as an ingressive aorist: "to begin" or "to have a beginning". In other words, "all these things" would start to happen in the generation of Jesus' present disciples, but would not necessarily finish in their time (Cranfield 1954: 291; Talbert 2010: 270). "This generation" points to a certain kind of people in accordance with the pejorative connotations to "generation" [γενεά] elsewhere in the gospel (Morris 1992: 613; Nelson 1996: 385; Rieske 2008: 225; see, e.g., Mt 11:16; 12:39, 41–42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36). While DeBruyn (2010: 190) and Lenski (1943: 953) interpret the expression in a similar way, they connect "this generation" to a certain kind of people from the Ἰουδαῖοι who resisted Jesus (cf. view 3 discussed earlier).
"This generation" refers to Jesus's contemporaries who would witness "all these things" [πάντα ταῦτα] as outlined in verses 4–31, including Jesus' second coming (Davies & Allison 1997: 367–368; Hare 1993: 281; Maddox 1982: 111–115). Because Jesus' contemporaries did not witness his second coming, some contend t:hat Jesus erred in his predictions (Luz 2005: 209; cf. Schweitzer 1910: 356–364). "This generation" refers to Jesus's contemporaries who would witness "all these things" as outlined in verses 4–22 or 4–28, pointing to the destruction of the temple in 70 CE and everything leading up to it. Jesus' second coming (vv. 29–31) is thus excluded from "all these things" (Blomberg 1992: 364; Carson 1984: 507; France 2007: 930; Hagner 1995 715). "This generation" points to the Ἰουδαῖοι [Jews or Judaeans], implying that they as a race would last until the Parousia (Hendriksen 1973: 868–869; Schweizer 1976: 458). In patristic opinion, "this generation" points to the church against which the gates of Hades would not prevail (cf. Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 77:1; Eusebius, Frag. in Lc. ad loc). 'This generation' points to some future generation, from Matthew's perspective, that sees "all these things" (Bock 1996: 538–539; Conzelmann 1982: 105). The words "take place" or "have happened" [γένηται] are interpreted as an ingressive aorist: "to begin" or "to have a beginning". In other words, "all these things" would start to happen in the generation of Jesus' present disciples, but would not necessarily finish in their time (Cranfield 1954: 291; Talbert 2010: 270). "This generation" points to a certain kind of people in accordance with the pejorative connotations to "generation" [γενεά] elsewhere in the gospel (Morris 1992: 613; Nelson 1996: 385; Rieske 2008: 225; see, e.g., Mt 11:16; 12:39, 41–42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36). While DeBruyn (2010: 190) and Lenski (1943: 953) interpret the expression in a similar way, they connect "this generation" to a certain kind of people from the Ἰουδαῖοι who resisted Jesus (cf. view 3 discussed earlier).