King James Version

What Does Matthew 23:36 Mean?

Matthew 23:36 in the King James Version says “Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. — study this verse from Matthew chapter 23 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Matthew 23:36 · KJV


Context

34

Wherefore , behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation (ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἥξει ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην)—amēn (verily) introduces solemn prophetic declaration. Genean tautēn (this generation) clearly refers to Jesus's contemporaries, not a distant future generation. "All these things" references the accumulated judgment of verse 35.

Jesus prophesied this on Tuesday of Passion Week. Forty years later (AD 70), the prophecy fulfilled with devastating precision. Matthew 24:34 repeats this formula regarding Jerusalem's destruction: "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Many who heard Jesus's words lived to see Jerusalem's fall. God's "measure" (v. 32) was full; judgment was imminent and inescapable. The generation that crucified Messiah experienced Messiah's judgment.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Jesus spoke c. AD 30; Jerusalem fell AD 70—exactly forty years later, matching Israel's wilderness wandering. That generation saw: apostolic ministry and persecution (Acts), growing Roman-Jewish tensions, Jewish revolt (AD 66), Roman siege of Jerusalem (AD 68-70), temple destruction (AD 70), and national dispersion. Josephus (eyewitness) describes horrors fulfilling Jesus's predictions: famine, infighting, crucifixions, temple desecration, total destruction. No stone left upon another (Matthew 24:2).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the precise fulfillment of Jesus's prophecy forty years later validate His divine authority and prophetic reliability?
  2. What does "this generation" teach about the reality of temporal judgment, not just eternal consequences?
  3. How should certainty of God's judgment affect how we respond to prophetic warning in our own generation?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 10 words
ἀμὴν1 of 10

Verily

G281

properly, firm, i.e., (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it)

λέγω2 of 10

I say

G3004

properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an

ὑμῖν3 of 10

unto you

G5213

to (with or by) you

ἥξει4 of 10

shall come

G2240

to arrive, i.e., be present (literally or figuratively)

ταῦτα5 of 10

these things

G5023

these things

πάντα6 of 10

All

G3956

all, any, every, the whole

ἐπὶ7 of 10

upon

G1909

properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re

τὴν8 of 10
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

γενεὰν9 of 10

generation

G1074

a generation; by implication, an age (the period or the persons)

ταύτην10 of 10
G3778

the he (she or it), i.e., this or that (often with article repeated)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Matthew. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Matthew 23:36 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Matthew 23:36 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Test Your Knowledge

Continue Your Study