"This Generation" and the Elect in the Book of Matthew

This volume analyses the “wicked generation” motif in the Gospel of Matthew, exploring the redemptivehistorical
conflictbetween the elect and non-elect seedlines going back to Genesis.

Susan M. Rieske presents an exploration of the phrase “this generation” and its central term, genea, in the Gospel of Matthew. She investigates how this phrase functions within a wicked generation motif that spans the gospel. This motif invokes the familiar story of the redemptive- historical conflict between the elect and non-elect seedlines traced back to Genesis, a conflict that proves central in Matthew’s theology.

Focusing on seven key passages in Matthew where genea appears, Rieske argues that the term involves three interrelated aspects: temporal, qualitative, and genealogical. She also analyzes its conceptual package derived from depictions of apostate generations in the Hebrew Bible— particularly as portrayed in Deuteronomy 32, the Song of Moses—and further developed in Second Temple literature. Its use in other New Testament contexts is likewise examined.

Rieske concludes that this motif legitimizes the messianic family as the true children of God and heirs of the kingdom, while also providing a theological rationale for their persecution at the hands of “this generation.” She further argues that this motif resolves the puzzle of the missing generation in Matthew’s genealogy, identifying it as a group omitted from the elect family. Ultimately, she demonstrates that Matthew’s framework centers on the conflict between two spiritual families: “this generation,” representing the evil family that persecutes the righteous, and the elect, the true family of God.