Why was Jesus prediction of the apocalypse before the death of certain disciples, so very wrong?
I’m making an assumption in answering this question that it refers to the following passage, specifically the text in bold:
Mathew 24: 32-35: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth; this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
I have given this passage in its context in order that we best understand what Jesus is saying at this point. It is within the context of a talk on the end times, when God will come back and judge the world (the end times). Specifically he is answering questions about when this will be and how will we know when it is here. The general answers to these questions that he gives are: no-one but God knows when and it’ll be very obvious to everyone when it comes!
The problem that we could have with this passage is that Jesus says this generation will not die before the end times come. If Jesus means the group of people present and they’re all dead and this hasn’t happened therefore Jesus is wrong.
In answer we should look at the Greek word that Jesus spoke that we translate as ‘generation.’ The Greek word is ‘genea,’ the translation given in ‘The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance’ is as follows: “generation, one’s own kind or race, descendant; fig., age, period of time (as in ‘to all generations’)”
From this it is clear that Jesus is making a point of saying that we are in the last period of time before God brings sin to and end, that it is just a matter of time before God brings his final perfect justice to this earth. This is completely fitting with all the Jesus is saying in the preceding and following paragraphs and so doesn’t give us a reason for concern.
If, however, this is not the passage that the question refers to then please ask the question again in a more specific manor and we will give another appropriate response.