This is from blueletterbible.org in relation to the Greek word "genea":
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The confusion exists because so many Christians are unaware that there are several ways that this Greek word [
genea] that is often translated generation, is used in the Bible. It is often in contrast to extra-Biblical or secular dictionary definitions. First of all, this word is from the root [
genos], meaning a common birth or kin relationship, such as
family. By extension it is used in the Scriptures in four very distinct, and yet intimately related ways.
1. Through kin or family, it denotes a particular member's patriarchal life span (generation) or related time period.
2. Through kin or family, it denotes a physical family's ancestry, posterity, lineage or genealogy.
3. Through kin or family, it denotes a spiritual family ancestry, as a kindred of Satan or evil.
4. Through kin or family, it denotes a spiritual family ancestry, as a kindred of Christ or righteousness.
There are actually four words that are translated "generation" in the New Testament. They are {
genesis], [
gennema], [
genos] and [
genea]. The root of all three refer back to family or kindred Of course, "by extension" it can also mean the period of a family line, or even a Patriarch's offspring, but the root is family. For example, if we were to declare that something occurred in the 4th generation, we would be saying that it happened in the family period of the 4th Patriarch child. So it would be illustrating a
particular family relationship removed by three from the original Patriarch reference. W see a form of this in the listing of Christ's family in the first chapter of Matthew:
Matthew 1:1
- "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
This is the book of the [
genesis], the origin, the family source or kindred of Jesus Christ. Obviously so, as it is a list of His ancestral or family history, again pointing to the fact that all these words are rooted in the "family" relationship. In other words, they are only listed there because they are his family line or ancestry. Understanding this principle, we can see how God unambiguously uses these words translated generation in Scripture, to signify not only the physical family of God,
but the Spiritual family of God. Not coincidentally, He also uses it to speak of the spiritual family of His adversary, the Devil. These are two families are people of two contrasting and distinct seeds. Even as God Himself spoke of them in the Garden of Eden, and the enmity He declared would be between them.
The children of God and children of the Devil are two diverse and distinct generations or families from these two seeds. The family of God extends all the way back to the beginning. Likewise, the family of Satan extends to the same period, illustrated vividly in the episode of Abel and Cain. The way that the word of God uses the phrase "
the Generation of evil", makes it synonymous with the children (or family) of the Devil. It does not refer only to an immediate present day family group.
The Generation of evil refers to all the seed of the Serpent throughout time, who are of that family by their Patriarchal relationship to the spirit of Satan. Just as the children of God refer to the whole family of God, which are a chosen generation, [genos] or family (1st Peter 2:9) extending throughout time. So it's not just people who happen to be living at the time in which the phrase was written. God uses these family relationships to illustrate those who are of the same spiritual kinship, as illustrated in passages like John chapter 8:
John 8:44
- "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
Once again we see that Christ is clearly explaining the divine truth that they were the kindred, seed or children of the Devil.
They were part of a particular spiritual family group relationship and that is why Christ identifies their "father" as the Devil.
Satan is the spiritual Patriarch reference for the whole generation or family of evil. Clearly, Satan has had many children throughout time, not merely these whom Christ was speaking to in this immediate context. All those under Satan's spiritual control are the generation or family of evil which has existed from the beginning. In Biblical terms, they are the spiritual offspring (generation) of their Patriarch reference, which is that old Serpent the Devil and Satan. Just as when Christ speaks of the people as a
generation of vipers, He is identifying that seed, these children, that family group, as a people who serve their father Satan. He is not talking about everyone in that physical generation or time period. Nor were all living in that physical (
generation) time span, this generation Christ spoke of. Nor could they be, since they all were not children of Satan or of evil.
Matthew 12:32-35
- "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
- Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
- O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
- A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."
How can a [
gennema] (meaning offspring or family) of vipers, children of the serpent, speak good things when they speak from their heart, which is full of evil. This family (translated generation) that Christ references
is the seed of the serpent, children of vipers. That clearly
cannot be
all the physical generation alive at that time, which consists of the Apostles, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, or any of the true church of that period. They cannot commit the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Ghost. Of necessity it has to be
only the unregenerate 'family' of the viper Satan. Not the whole generation living at that time, He spoke of the family of Satan who cannot escape the damnation of Hell--that generation. Therefore, when Christ calls them the [
gennema] of vipers, he is not referring to all those people of that time (
as many often understand generation to to mean), but he is speaking only of the seed of the serpent, Satan. It is a family or generation of evil that cannot escape judgment, and Satan is their spiritual Patriarch father.
The generation that Christ talked about in Matthew 24 is the generation of evil that INCLUDES the unsaved people in Christ's time. It continues until the last day when all things are fulfilled, then the whole generation of evil will end. No more wicked people will be found in the New Earth and New Heaven when Christ returns. For the sea (of wicked) will be no more.
Rev 21:1
(1) And I saw
a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and
there was no more sea.
The chosen generation (all Saints from the Old Testament and New Testament) will continue forever in Christ. Therefore, God NEVER tell us to pinpoint so-calleed 40, 70, etc. years of generation on our calendar to build a cultic doctrine upon! Many of you missed what generation Christ talked about. 
