C. S. Lewis speaking about Matthew 24:34

[Zinc]

"But there is worse to come. “Say what you like,” we shall be told, “the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.”

It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.... The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side.... The facts, then, are these: that Jesus professed himself (in some sense) ignorant, and within a moment showed that he really was so."


C.S.Lewis - The World's Last Night "This generation shall not pass..."


Isn't this guy a Christian apologist? Should he be saying that?

Well, the futurists can say Lewis didn't understand the Matt. 24:34 verse.

And the full preterists can say Lewis did understand the Matt. 24:34 verse, but just didn't understand what the "second coming" would be like.

So that's all OK then.

 

[Stormcrow]

He also wrote this in that very same link you posted:

Coming of the Saviour. I have no claim to speak as an expert in any of the studies involved, and merely put forward the reflections which have arisen in my own mind and have seemed to me (perhaps wrongly) to be helpful. They are all submitted to the correction of wiser heads.

He admits he was no expert in these things and was only expressing his opinion, as do many here.

Lewis also (wrongly) conflates the events Christ predicts with the timing of them:

The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side.

Christ was neither in error and professed ignorance on only one specific point. He told the disciples what to look for and generally when these things would happen then tells them no one knows the exact time they would happen.

If I tell you that dinner will be ready in an hour, and that you'll be having steak and potatoes, and that you'll have guests, but cannot tell you the exact minute or second they will arrive, I may be ignorant of a single specific but not in error.

He told them the truth on every point of inquiry they asked Him. Every one.

Lewis expressed an opinion and got it wrong. So what? Are you perfect in everything you say and write?

 

[Elijah674]

"But there is worse to come. “Say what you like,†we shall be told, “the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.â€

It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.... The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side.... The facts, then, are these: that Jesus professed himself (in some sense) ignorant, and within a moment showed that he really was so."


C.S.Lewis - The World's Last Night "This generation shall not pass..."


Isn't this guy a Christian apologist? Should he be saying that?

Well, the futurists can say Lewis didn't understand the Matt. 24:34 verse.

And the full preterists can say Lewis did understand the Matt. 24:34 verse, but just didn't understand what the "second coming" would be like.

So that's all OK then.

Christ's WORD was flawed?? HARDLY! Just the BROADWAY man's understanding was flawed!

Christ [DOCUMENTED] verse 14 of Matt. 24. AND WHEN THIS TAKES PLACE ACCORDING TO his conditional words ELSEWHERE, TIME WILL NOT GO PAST THIS TIME!

And this requirement was well known by Paul. If not, then when Christ did not come when one see's Rom. 10:18 + Col. 1:23 DOCUMENTED that the Gospel did indeed GO INTO ALL OF THE WORLD, and that Christ did not come, then there would have been a huge falling away from Christ Himself!

And there is the Gospel ANSWER, but who would BELIEVE Christ's Word on that, except just a few, huh!

--Elijah

 

[Zinc]

Lewis expressed an opinion and got it wrong. So what? Are you perfect in everything you say and write?

Are you?

Lewis can be wrong. But he can also be correct.

Generally speaking, Christians are going to say that Lewis was wrong. But they will utterly contradict each other on the issue. Some will agree with Lewis on Matt. 24:34. Some will agree with Lewis in other ways.

Are you a full preterist? To my knowledge, that doctrine has little, if any, support from Bible scholars. And it was invented in modern times.

I guess it could still perhaps be correct despite that. Just as the Jehovah's Witnesses could in theory be correct despite its fringe nature. But for those on the outside it's probably not looking like the most credible of doctrines.

 

[Stormcrow]

Are you?

Lewis can be wrong. But he can also be correct.

Generally speaking, Christians are going to say that Lewis was wrong. But they will utterly contradict each other on the issue. Some will agree with Lewis on Matt. 24:34. Some will agree with Lewis in other ways.

Are you a full preterist? To my knowledge, that doctrine has little, if any, support from Bible scholars. And it was invented in modern times.

I guess it could still perhaps be correct despite that. Just as the Jehovah's Witnesses could in theory be correct despite its fringe nature. But for those on the outside it's probably not looking like the most credible of doctrines.

First of all, I - as I have written many times before - I am not a preterist. I simply proclaim what the Bible says with as little doctrinal bias as is humanly possible.

Second, it's ironic that those in this very thread who don't accept Christ's word that those things would happen to that generation, are guilty of attributing to Christ the same error that Lewis does. The only difference is Lewis was intellectually honest enough to say it.

For what it's worth. 2

 

[Zinc]

First of all, I - as I have written many times before - I am not a preterist.

Do you think that the "second coming" has happened? Is it future?

 

[Stormcrow]

Do you think that the "second coming" has happened? Is it future?

Doesn't matter what I think. This isn't about me. What does the Bible say about it? That's the question you should be asking.

 

[Zinc]

Doesn't matter what I think. This isn't about me. What does the Bible say about it? That's the question you should be asking.

Well the Bible doesn't say it happened.

 

[Zinc]

Also, the Bible may actually contradict it having happened in "AD70" depending on the dating of Biblical writings.

 

[Stormcrow]

Well the Bible doesn't say it happened.

Might want to check it again without the "rapture-colored glasses" on. :o

 

[Hitch]

Do you think that the "second coming" has happened? Is it future?

You mean the 'second coming' as per Acts?

 

[Zinc]

Might want to check it again without the "rapture-colored glasses" on. :o

This has nothing to do with "rapture-colored glasses". Let's be clear about this: I don't think the pre-trib rapture idea is any more Biblical than what you are promoting yourself.


But anyway, please produce some Bible verses which say that the "second coming" happened.

And I don't mean an "imminent prediction". I mean verses which say that it has already happened.

 

[Zinc]

You mean the 'second coming' as per Acts?

What are you asking?

There are verses in Acts which relate to it.

 

[Hitch]

What are you asking?

There are verses in Acts which relate to it.

Correct, and a great many verses commonly cited have nothing to do with it.

 

[Hitch]

This has nothing to do with "rapture-colored glasses". Let's be clear about this: I don't think the pre-trib rapture idea is any more Biblical than what you are promoting yourself.



And I don't mean an "imminent prediction". I mean verses which say that it has already happened.

Well thast easy, they are right next to all the verses that say it has not happened.
So;
But anyway, please produce some Bible verses which say that the "second coming"not happened.

 

[Stormcrow]

This has nothing to do with "rapture-colored glasses". Let's be clear about this: I don't think the pre-trib rapture idea is any more Biblical than what you are promoting yourself.


But anyway, please produce some Bible verses which say that the "second coming" happened.

And I don't mean an "imminent prediction". I mean verses which say that it has already happened.

If you knew anything about the NT at all, you'd know better than to ask for something like that, as it was written entirely before 70AD.

Are the numerous promises of Christ pointing to His return on judgment over Jerusalem for that generation not good enough for you?

 

[Stormcrow]

"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34 (NASB)

If Christ was wrong in Matthew 24:34, then He was clearly wrong everywhere else He spoke of His generation:

{16} "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, Matthew 11:16 (NASB)

{39} But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; Matthew 12:39 (NASB)

{42} "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. Matthew 12:42 (NASB)

{45} "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation." Matthew 12:45 (NASB)

{4} "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away. Matthew 16:4 (NASB)

{17} And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me." Matthew 17:17 (NASB)

{35} so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. {36} "Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. Matthew 23:35-36 (NASB)

{25} "But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Luke 17:25 (NASB)

{34} "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34 (NASB)

{32} "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. Luke 21:32 (NASB)


Christ was either deluded or a liar to keep talking about "this generation" that way. Evil. Adulterous. Perverted. Murderous.

But He couldn't possibly have been talking about the generation in which He lived.

Nah, He was just crazy. It would be utterly stupid to believe something like that. Much easier to believe He was a liar or just plain nuts than to take Him at His word and think that - perhaps - American Evangelicals don't understand it as well as they think they do. 2

 

[Stormcrow]

I think Christ used the words "this generation" enough to understand what He was talking about.

The big question is, why do so many people in this generation dismiss Him?

So many teachers teaching junk doctrine, junk religion, junk theology. No one teaching His word. 2

 

[warfrog]

I think Christ used the words "this generation" enough to understand what He was talking about.

The big question is, why do so many people in this generation dismiss Him?

So many teachers teaching junk doctrine, junk religion, junk theology. No one teaching His word. 2

He was def talking about that generation, and this one and the one before that one and the one before ours ext ext ext.

 

[Hitch]

He was def talking about that generation, and this one and the one before that one and the one before ours ext ext ext.

Well then,either Christ or warfrog is rendered irrelevant