In its entry for the Olivet Discourse, Wikipedia lists seven different opinions as to which generation is the subject of the Lesson of the Fig tree. Here we will add an eighth.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes ten-der and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
• The early part of the prophecy (Matthew 24:1-8) is “but the beginning of the birth pains.”, what we would call false labor. Those pains that send many an inexperienced couple to the hospital early, only to be sent home.
• The next part (Matthew 24:9-14) is tribulation-filled, and con-tains the multi-generational preaching of the Gospel to the whole world, what we would call labor.
• The last part (Matthew 24:15-28) describes a time so terrible that it has to be brief, what we would call the delivery.
Please note that the parable does not compare the budding of the tree to those early events, but rather it compares the tree coming into full leaf, with “all these things”. The parable simply reinforces that the end would be brief.
But why did He use “this generation” rather than “that generation”?
He is speaking prophetically from His celestial vantage point and dur-ing the entire prophecy those awaiting these multi-generational events are referred to as “you” and those unprepared for them as “they”. There are multiple generations of “you” and “they”. In a simi-lar way he moves forward the generational marker of time and used “this” generation.
Said a different way, in His divinity He is not restricted to the current moment, from which we must look forward to “that” generation.
If was not until He reached the end of the prophecy and spoke from their shared terrestrial perspective of “that” day.
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
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Unfortunately because there are no comma in Greek, there are also alternate views of the final judgement and its use of the word "these".
“Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
In the section Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus describes the final judgement, during which only two groups are formed. This is key because of His later use of the phrase “least of these”, represents the opposite group, not an unnamed third group.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Another key is the word “inherit”, because of it He will call them “brothers”. And please let the word "blessed" invoke memories of the Sermon on the Mount. Surprised by their place in the will, the King had to explain how they were generous to Him.
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
He called “brothers”, those who share in the inheritance, because they were generous to the least of “these” (those not called “brothers”). The righteous, by definition, loves the sinner, for those that hate the sinner are not righteous.
Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The opposite is said to those who are not “brothers”. They will be condemned for their lack of selfless love for the righteous.
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