This Generation Will By No Means Pass Away Till All These Things Take Place, What Does THIS GENERATION mean?

"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. (Mark 13:30)

A look at the use of the phrase "this generation" indicates that the phrase doesn't always only mean a historical generation (of a particular time); but, it means "these kind of people" or "this Adamic generation". Thus, Jesus was not telling the crowd that His return would be within 60-90 years from then, or that there would be some who would continue to live on and never see death till He returned. From a study of the use of the phrase, it seems more reasonable to interpret "this generation" or the phrase "there are some standing here" as meaning "this sinful generation". It points to the fact that the end-time appearance of Jesus will be upon "this generation" while they are still alive. It is important to ask why Jesus should appear alive upon "this generation"? What is the point of His manifestation upon a generation that is going to perish anyway?

Paul writes about this eschatological experience of the Church (though some interpret it as the first of two phases of the Second Coming): "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."(1Thess 4:17)

Then, John prophesies about the anti-Christ: "Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone."(Rev 19:20)

With regard to those who pierced Him, it is said: "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.(Rev 1:7)

Evidently, "they who pierced Him", if taken in the sense of a literal chronological generation, will seem improbable. However, if taken in the sense as "the rulers of this age" who crucified the Lord of Glory (2Cor.2:8), in the sense of "the world", the sinful Adamic race; then, the sense becomes very clear.

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."(Mark 8:38-9:1)

But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." (Mark 8:12)

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)

"But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, "and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." (Matt.11:16-19)

"from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.(Luke 11:51)

Placebo and the Philosophy of Mind and Matter in Drug Research

A placebo is a non-therapeutic substance administered under the camouflage of medication to deceive patients into believing that they are receiving medications; this done solely for psychological and not for physiological effects. Placebo may usually be used to compare its effects with the effects of other drugs in drug research. Let's take the case of an experiment that tries to establish whether a particular drug, say to treat weariness, is genuine or merely has the effects of a placebo. Suppose 20 candidates are chosen for this experiment. 10 are given the drug and the rest are put on a placebo while they are told that the placebo is a genuine medication. They need to make sure that the deception is well carried on for the success of the experiment. If both the groups make similar improvements after taking the treatments, the new drug seems to only function as a placebo in effect. The basic hypothesis of the placebo raises the question of mind over matter. Of course, this pushes...

3 Facts About Temptation

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The Light of Law Vs Light of Christ (John 8)

JOHN 8:1-12 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the mids...

Marbaniang, Domenic

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