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Cynical Bear's word's are in Blue

>>>Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:<<<

>>>What generation was that? When did it start and when were they all gone?<<<

It was the generation explained in the verse following your verse. This is your verse in context:

"But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Mat 12:39-40 KJV)

What generation saw the sign of Christ's resurrection? The one he was speaking to.

>>>Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.<<<

>>>Was that only those of a certain age? When did that generation end. Are there no other “generations” that are untoward?<<<

>>>Luke 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.<<<

>>>Did every person alive at that point reject Christ? In other words did that entire “generation” of people reject Christ as Christ said they would? Or were the apostles and other believers not part of that generation?<<<

>>>Luke 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.<<<

>>>Matthew 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.<<<

Cynical Bear: when Jesus said "this generation," he always meant the people alive when he said it. And as if Jesus anticipated charlatans like Darby and Scofield would come along and try to corrupt his plain and simple language, Jesus explained it in other ways:

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand . . . But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (Mat 10:5-7, 23 KJV)

In this next example Jesus said it in two different ways, so there would be no ambiguity:

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Mat 16:27-28 KJV)

"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." (Mark 8:38, 9:1 KJV)

Are some of those he spoke to still alive, Cynical Bear? No. It can only mean that some of those alive at the time he spoke lived to see him coming in his kingdom. Using normal grammatical rules and definitions for the words "this generation," any of those Jesus' age and younger could have seen him coming in his kingdom.

>>>Did those alive at that time kill all the prophets and Zechariah? According to your definition of generation that would have to be the case.<<<

Jesus argued that same point with the scribes and Pharisees; and like you, I don't think they believed him either:

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous." (Mat 23:29-30 KJV)

Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees claimed they would not have been partakers in the blood of the prophets. But Jesus indicated they were just like their fathers, and as evil as they come:

"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. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Mat 23:30-33 KJV)

Here Jesus explains that they will (like their fathers) kill some of the prophets he sends them, and they will persecute others. And of course, they had Jesus killed, the prophet of all prophets:

"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:" (Mat 23:34 KJV)

Here he warns them that all the righteous blood would be required of that generation: the generation of those he was talking to:

"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." (Mat 23:35-36 KJV)

He summarizes some of their crimes and some of their punishment, here:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Mat 23:37-38 KJV)

Luke wrote similar things, but also mentioned the apostles they murdered and persecuted:

"Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation." (Luke 11:49-51 KJV)

Like I said, the blood of all the prophets was on Jerusalem's head. It could not have also been on Babylon the Great's head, unless they were the same city.

>>>Your narrow view of the meaning of “generation” causes all kinds of problems understanding scripture.<<<

You can do better than this, Cynical Bear.

>>>Please explain how those alive “of a certain age” who Jesus was talking to were the ones who killed Zechariah.<<<

Anyone who has read the scriptures knows that Jesus never said that generation killed Zechariah. Therefore, I must assume you are reading from some worthless dispensational talking points. I recommend you throw them, and that corrupt Scofield Reference "Bible," in the trash; and read the plain Word, for a healthy change.

Philip