Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
The term “generation” has been interpreted to mean various ideas. Some view it as a particular group of Jews during Jesus’ ministry and consequently those alive at the destruction of the nation in AD 70.
‘The natural meaning of the words is, beyond question, that which takes “generation” in the ordinary sense (as in Matthew 1:17, Acts 13:36, and elsewhere) for those who are living at any given period. So it was on “this generation” (Matthew 23:36) that the accumulated judgments were to fall. The desire to bring the words into more apparent harmony with history has led some interpreters to take “generation” in the sense of “race” or “people,” and so to see in the words a prophecy of the perpetuity of the existence of the Jews as a distinct people till the end of the world. But for this meaning there is not the shadow of authority; ‘
[Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers]
From <http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/24-34.htm>
While others understand it to mean the foretold enduring of the Jewish nation until the fulfilment of our Lord’s words, which we are told, shall never pass away (Mat 24:35).
“Our Lord declares that the Jews should never cease to be a distinct people, until all things he had been predicting were fulfilled. His prophecy reaches to the day of final judgment; therefore he here, ver. 34, foretells that Judah shall never cease to exist as a distinct people, so long as this world shall endure.” [Matthew Henry]
From <http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/24-34.htm>
Both brethren lived in a time when there was no nation of Israel. The thought of a nation being “born at once”; Isaiah 66:8, seemed unlikely. But it was Matthew Henry who showed a greater faith in the future promises of Israel’s regathering. I do agree with brother Henry as pertaining to the prophetic voice of verse 34 concerning Israel. Though I confess I don’t have to exercise as much faith seeing that Israel is currently celebrating its seventieth year as a nation born out of the ashes of WWII.
I also believe “this generation” to possibly mean the morally depraved people, not just Jewish, of the world as a whole. The use of the word “this” before generation has been used before in scripture. In each occurrence “this generation” refers to a morally wicked people. Here are but a few. Take notice that the “first mention” of the term “this generation” is not referring to a Jewish people, but of all inhabitants of the earth.
Gen_7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Noah is preserved from the wicked, who were not Jewish by definition. The people were wicked in their imaginations and their thoughts were “only evil continually”. Gen 6:5. They were violent; Gen 6:11; They were “corrupt”; Gen 6:12.
Psa_12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
The scripture is preserved from wicked men; verse 1. Men in who is not found to be faithful or godly. They speak lies, a flattering tongue, a double heart. They were oppressive to the poor; Psalms 12:5. It is from that generation that the Lord has preserved His word. Men of cruelty and instruments of Satan used to try and put out the “light” of God’s word.
Psa_71:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
David is asked to be saved from wicked, unrighteous and cruel men; verses 4,10. It is they to whom David felt overwhelmed in his old age. And it was they to whom David felt the duty to be a guidance of God’s power and strength. To be a witness of God’s salvation; Psalms 51:13.
Psa_95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Mat_11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat_12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
This generation is distinct from the “men of Nineveh”. For Nineveh were a repentant people compared to the “generation” of Christ’s day. The “queen of the south” was willing to travel great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon but “this generation” would not even walk a mile to hear the wisdom come down from God in the flesh; Mat 12:42.
A distinct date in the future when the wicked will be judged and the “this generation” will be found among them.
Even though the term “this generation” can refer to a particular group of people in a particular time and place, as in the 95th Psalm, it also encompasses all of evil mankind; A fact that is apparent in that the people present during Jesus’ utterance are no longer alive on earth! Even before those dreadful days have come to pass. Also to only apply Matthew 24, and the Olivet discourse to mean the destruction of Jerusalem forty years after our Lord’s passion denies the obvious future references throughout that sermon; Matt 24:14,15,21 etc.