Jesus said, ‘This generation will not pass away until all these things take place.’ If He meant the generation standing in front of Him, Christians may have spent centuries waiting for an event that already happened. If He did not mean them, the plain force of His words becomes nearly impossible to defend. Even C. S. Lewis called this ‘the most embarrassing verse in the Bible’ and concluded that Jesus was wrong. I refuse that conclusion. Dismantling Religion argues that Jesus kept His promise, returned within the generation He named, and brought the Kingdom decisively into history. What did ‘this generation’ honestly mean to the people who heard Him say it?
Before we walk through it: Name the assumption you brought with you. Then test whether the evidence lets you keep it.
The Argument
- Jesus' return is treated as a first-century event, not a future hope.
- The Kingdom is already present and expanding on earth.
- The book's gospel announcement is framed as rescue, not postponement.
Key Scriptures
- Matthew 24:34
- Mark 1:15
- Luke 17:21
- Revelation 21:2
Over to You
What first-century text or event best supports this reading—and what passage do you think still requires a future return?
From Dismantling Religion by Chris Drake — Chapter 13