Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
5 8 2026
This Generation Will Not Pass: What Did Jesus Really Mean?
I received a note from an old friend. “I heard a preacher say Jesus had already returned… and he used Scripture to back it up. He pointed to where Jesus said, ‘This generation will not pass away until all these things happen.’ I looked it up… and now I’m confused.” Terry
Hey Terry…
That’s a fair question. And I’m really glad you didn’t just accept it or reject it—you actually went to the Word. That’s exactly what we’re supposed to do.
So rather than just respond privately to my old friend, I thought we could all use a little refreshment on this topic. And here’s where this needs to slow down a bit…because one verse, by itself, can sound like it’s saying something it’s not.
Jesus says in Matthew 24:34, “This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” And yeah… if you isolate that, it sounds like everything He talked about had to happen while the apostles were still alive. But Jesus wasn’t speaking in a vacuum—He was answering a question. Actually, three questions.
Back in Matthew 24:3, they asked Him: when will the temple be destroyed… what will be the sign of Your coming… and what about the end of the age? Think about them because those aren’t all the same moment.
As you keep reading, Jesus starts describing events—wars, persecution, Jerusalem surrounded… and that part? That actually happened. In 70 AD, Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, just as He had said. So yes—part of what He spoke about did happen in that generation.
But not all of it.
Because just a few verses later, Jesus says in Matthew 24:29–30 that after that time, “they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Terry… that hasn’t happened.
And He doesn’t describe something quiet or hidden. He says it will be like lightning across the sky (Matthew 24:27). Revelation 1:7 says every eye will see Him. Acts 1:11 says He will return the same way He left—physically, visibly.
So whatever “this generation” means… it cannot mean that Jesus already returned in full. Because the Bible is clear—when He does, the world won’t miss it. And we are still here. Right? So what’s going on?
The simplest and most solid understanding is this: Jesus was speaking about both near and future events at the same time. Some things…like the destruction of Jerusalem…were fulfilled in that generation.
But other things…His visible return, the gathering, the final fulfillment…are still ahead.
And when He says “this generation,” He can also be pointing to the generation that sees those final signs begin…that once it starts, it will move to completion. That fits everything else He said.
So the issue isn’t that Scripture is wrong. It’s that it’s being compressed into something smaller than Jesus intended. And that’s where this pastor and people get tripped up.
Because if someone says, “Jesus already returned,” then you have to ask:
Did every eye see Him?
Did He come in power and glory?
Were the dead raised?
Was the world gathered to Him?
Why am I still here?
Because Scripture says those things happen when He returns. And if they didn’t… then He didn’t. So, I wouldn’t let that teaching shake you. I’d let it push you deeper…just like it did.
But, I want to also say, I had to dig for these answers. I’m not a scholar or have a PHD in Theology. But I get confused all the time, and so I dig into God’s word. I check my favorite commentaries, and I verify with many witnesses that God’s truth is not my opinion or something I take at face value.
Because here’s the truth that I see according to scripture…Jesus is coming back. And when He does, it won’t be debated, interpreted, or hidden behind a verse.
It will be unmistakable.
Terry… the danger isn’t that Jesus already came back and we missed it.
The danger is that people get so caught up trying to redefine His return… that they stop living like it’s still coming. And Scripture never points us backward, saying, “You missed it.”
It always points us forward, saying, “Be ready.” Because when He comes…
you won’t need someone to explain it to you.
You’ll know. Boy…will we know!
So here are two questions to think on:
- Am I building my understanding of Scripture on one verse…or on the full counsel of what Jesus actually said?
- Am I living like His return is behind me… or like it could happen at any time?
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Just a note: on May 12th, I will host Discovering Jesus ONLINE Part 2: The Authenticity of the Bible –
Part of a 6-week course to dive deeper into our faith and empower you with the true tenets of our faith to stand on. Tuesday nights, 7pm to 8:30. It is open to you, your spouse, your family, or your neighbors. Let me know if you have an interest, and I will send you a link and the necessary materials. It is FREE of charge.
To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/zkb-dxcq-iau
What A Beautiful Name – Hillsong Worship Music only
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