Who Was “This Generation” in Matthew?

Who is “this generation” in Matthew 24:34? Jesus targets his contemporaries, likening them to the flood and wilderness rebels, and so foreshadows final judgment—urging faith in and obedience to him as the only way of salvation.
The Sheep, the Goats, and the Dividing Line of Father Abraham: Does Matthew 25:31–46 Teach Salvation by Works of Mercy?

Final judgment in Matthew 25:31–46 hinges not on works themselves, but on covenantal allegiance to Christ—the promised Seed of Abraham—where love and mercy toward his followers reveal genuine faith and secure the blessing of Abraham.