Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 12:54

And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

54-59. The Signs of the Times, and resultant Duty.

54. to the people ] Rather, to the multitudes, whom He now addresses, having finished the lessons which were most necessary for His timid and discouraged disciples.

a cloud ] Rather, the cloud, comp. Mat 16:2-3.

rise out of the west ] In Hebrew the same word is used for ‘west’ and ‘sea.’ A cloud rising from the Mediterranean indicated heavy rain, 1Ki 18:44-45.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

See the notes at Mat 16:2-3.

South wind – To the south and southwest of Judea were situated Arabia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, all warm or hot regions, and consequently the air that came from those quarters was greatly heated.

How is it that ye do not discern this time! – You see a cloud rise, and predict a shower; a south wind, and expect heat. These are regular events. So you see my miracles; you hear my preaching; you have the predictions of me in the prophets; why do you not, in like manner, infer that this is the time when the Messiah should appear?

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Luk 12:54-57

How is it that ye do not discern this time?

—

Signs of the times

I. CONSIDER THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF OUR OWN AGE.

1. The times are sadly darkened with superstition.

2. A parching wind of unbelief is sweeping over the Churches.

3. Religious apathy abounds. The remedies for this are–

(1) Prayer.

(2) Personal activity.

4. There is an evident withdrawal of the Holy Ghost from this land. The earth has her harvest, but where is the harvest of the Church. Where are revivals now? The Spirit is grieved, and is gone from the Church; and why is it? Have Christian men become worldly? It is true that you can scarcely tell a Christian from a worldling, nowadays? O for more holiness, then; this is the demand which the times make upon us. Ye men of God, be holy, yea, be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Has unbelief restrained the dew and rain of the Spirit? Is it true that He cannot do many mighty works among us because of our unbelief? O for more faith, then. Put up the prayer, Lord, increase our faith, and rest not day nor night till the prayer be heard.

II. Now, I have to use the text in reference to THE TIMES WITHIN US. There is a little world within our bosom, which has its winds and its clouds, and if we are wise we shall watch. First, I shall speak to believers. Believers, there are times with you when the cloud rises out of the west, and straightway ye say, There cometh a shower. Times of refreshing-you have had them; look back upon them, they are choice memories. You must have the Spirit of God, or how can you live? Much more, how can you bring forth fruit unto perfection? Watch for these showers, then, and when they come, use them. Open your heart, as the earth opens her furrows after a long drought, when there are great gaping cracks in the soil ready to drink in the shower. Let your heart be receptive of the Divine influence. Wait upon the Lord, and when the Lord comes to bless you, be like Gideons fleece, ready to imbibe and retain the dew, till you are full of it. Believers, we have to speak to you also about spiritual drought, for you have such seasons, Ye see the south wind blow, and ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. You have your droughty times–at least, I have mine. They may be sent in chastisement. We do not value the blessing of the Spirit enough, and so it is withdrawn. Sometimes they may be intended to try our faith, to see whether we can strike our roots deep down into rivers of waters which never dry, and tap the eternal springs which lie beneath, and yield not to the summers drought. Perhaps our times of drought are sent to drive us to our God, for when the means of grace fail us, and even the Word no longer comforts us, we may fly to the Lord Himself, and drink at the well-head. Perhaps, however, this drought has been occasioned by ourselves. Worldliness is a south wind, which soon brings a parching condition upon the spirits of men. My last and most solemn work is now to come. I have to speak to sinners. Ungodly men are fools before God, but they are very often the reverse of fools in common life. They know what weather there will be, they can read the signals of the skies. Now I ask them to use the wit they have, and of themselves judge that which is right. If you lived in Palestine, when you saw a cloud you would expect a shower. When you see sin, do you not expect punishment? (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Sign of a coming shower

Miss Rogers, in her Domestic Life in Palestine, says:–At Haifa, I was sitting one day in the oriel window at the British consulate, with the Rev. Dr. Bowen (the late lamented bishop of Sierra Leone); black clouds came travelling quickly from the west over the lead-coloured sea. Dr. Bowen observed, in the words of Christ, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. He had scarcely uttered the words, when the clouds spread, and fell in a tremendous torrent; the sea swelled, and rolled heavily to the shore; the ships looked as if they would break away from their anchors, and loud peals of thunder made the casemented recess in which we sat tremble violently. Why even of yourselves Judge ye not what is right?—

Christ appealing to the man within the man

To judge what is right, in the matter here under notice, is to form a right conclusion as to the question of questions, What think ye of Christ? And, you observe, our Lord speaks of a possibility of drawing the true answer, not from evidences commonly so called, not from signs of the times, not from miracles, not from proofs of power exhibited to the senses, but from within–from something inside the man, saying to him, God is here. Adistinction is made in the text between a discernment of truth by signs, and a judgment upon it exercised from within. It is quite clear that the words of yourselves express something more intimate, more essential to the man, than that action of the mind upon external evidences for the want of which He has just reproved them. The signs are clear, He says, but you ought not to want them. There is that in you which ought to have judged what is right, as to Me and My gospel, without waiting for other evidence of wonder or sign. Brethren, there is something in us to which Jesus Christ appeals, besides the mere intellect. It is quite clear that Jesus Christ, when He was upon earth, placed not one part but the whole of the man in the judgment-seat before which He pleaded. If He had been satisfied with a formal assent to His revelation; if His object had been to reckon His followers by millions, and to cover the inhabited world with churches, without further question as to the state of hearts towards God, or as to the character of lives in the view of eternity; He might have said,
How is it that, with evidence so conclusive, ye do not discern this time? but He would never have gone on to say, Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? This addresses that compound thing, that complex being, of which intellect is but one element, and not the noblest. Jesus Christ stands upon earth, and, seeing us as we are, as such speaks to us. When He has gained our first attention, if so it be, by miracles, He goes on to reason with us concerning ourselves. He reminds us that there is that in us which makes us first rebels against duty, and then cowards before conscience; rovers in pursuit of satisfactions which come not, and slaves in the prospect of inevitable death. He deals with us as persons not all intellect; persons whose life is lived in many homes and many regions, of thought and feeling, of memory and hope, of companionship and affection, making it indispensable that one who comes to us with an effectual treatment of our actual condition should not only convince our understandings as to his claims and his credentials, but also (and much more) draw our hearts towards himself as the very rest and home and satisfaction of our being. And as this is His aim, so this is His method. He stands here in the midst of us, and His first words are, When ye pray, say, Our Father. Say it, whosoever you be, and whatsoever. It is a revelation, pure and simple–lie brings it to us out of the great heaven–and yet He is able to appeal to us, His audience, as to the self-evidencing character of this which He says. Even of yourselves, He says, judge what I say. Is it not good? is it not true? is it not verified within? And so of the rest. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Does not He who thus speaks bring His own witness with Him? Well must lie know us. Never man spake like this man. Try whether this word, which is so good, so pure, so lovely, has not, in the very being so, its evidence of Deity in the speaker. Is there not here the very knowledge of the Omniscient? Is there not here that very Fountain of goodness, whose thoughts are at once ours and not ours? Is not this what I mean by God? Shall I not rest and nestle at once under the shadow of this wing? (Dean Vaughan.)

The meanness and falseness of the common excuses for irreligion and immorality

These words appear, by the parallel places in the other evangelists, to have been originally designed against those amongst the Jews, who from dislike of the strictness of our blessed Lords morality, pretended ignorance of His Divine mission, after He had given abundant proofs of it; when yet, without any separate proofs of it at all, the main things which He taught carried their own evidence along with them, and every mans heart bore witness to their truth. The Pharisees came forth, with the Sadducees also, tempting Him, and sought of Him a sign from heaven (Mat 16:1; Mar 8:11). But He, with no less dignity than prudence, refused to gratify a curiosity, both ill-meaning and endless; and sighing deeply in His spirit, as St. Mark informs us, at this perverse disposition of theirs; told them, with a kind, because needful, severity of speech, where the defect lay. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: your sinful inclinations and lives, not the want or the desire of sufficient evidence, prompt you to this demand: and verily I say unto you, there shall be no sign given, no such visible manifestation of Divine glory as you insolently require, vouchsafed to this generation: nor is it requisite. When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, there cometh a shower, and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say there will be heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth: but how is it that ye do not discern this time? That is: on other occasions you appear very able to judge of things by the proper indications of them. How can you then, with any colour of sincerity, pretend, that amidst so many prophecies fulfilled, and so many miracles performed, you have not, after all, sufficient conviction, that this is the season when the Messiah should appear, and that I am He? Nay, as to the principal part of My doctrine, which is the real cause of your antipathy to the whole; as to the great precepts of pure religion and uniform virtue, and your need of repentance and faith in Gods mercy; what occasion is there for any farther demonstrations of them, than your own hearts, if honestly consulted, will not fail to afford? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? Now this method of reasoning is equally applicable to unbelievers and cavillers in all ages. It is in vain for them to invent new difficulties, or magnify old ones, concerning the authority of our religion; while the reason of things, the truth of facts, and the nature of God and man continue to exhibit so full proof of those fundamental articles of it, the eternal obligation of moral duties, the sinfulness of every ones nature and life, the necessity of repentance, and humble application for pardon and grace. And, since the true quarrel of such persons is against these doctrines, and these cannot be shaken; they had much better reconcile themselves to the whole, than make fruitless attacks upon one part; in which, if they were to succeed (as they never will), they would, in point of argument, be almost as far from their favourite scheme, of liberty to do what they please, and think highly of themselves notwithstanding, as they were before. For the whole of their case is: they perplex things on purpose, in order to complain that they are not clear: walk with their eyes wilfully shut, and then insist that they cannot be blamed if they stumble, for it is quite dark, and they do not see a step of their way. For the confirmation of this, let us take a view of the fundamental parts of practical religion–those which men are most apt to fail in–and see which of them all any one can fairly say he was ignorant of, or doubtful about, and had not the means of sufficient light to direct his steps.

1. To begin with the belief and worship of Almighty God. Is not every man capable of seeing, let him be ever so little acquainted with nature, that the heavens and the earth, the order of the seasons, the returns of day and night, the whole frame of things in general, is full of use and beauty; and must be the work of amazing power, wisdom, and goodness? And what He hath made, no doubt but He governs and superintends. This is the plain obvious account of things, that one should think must almost offer itself of course to every common mind, without any learning at all; and the deepest learning gives it the strongest confirmation. And what, then, hath any one to plead for himself, if he lives regardless of Him in whom he lives, and moves, and hath his being; without gratitude to His bounty.

2. Let us now proceed to the duties which we owe to our fellow-creatures. The sense of these, because they are of more immediate importance to the good of society, God hath imprinted with greater strength on our minds than even that of our obligations to Himself. As it must be the Will of Him, who is so just and good to us all, that we should be just and good to one another, and from this principle, as the root, every branch of right behaviour springs; so He hath planted in our hearts a natural love of equity, a natural feeling of kind affection; a natural conscience, applauding us when we act according to these dispositions, condemning us when we violate them; and seldom do we deserve its reproaches, but either at the time, or soon after, we undergo them.

3. The third part of our duty is the government of ourselves, according to the rules of sobriety, temperance, and chastity. Now who doth not know, that the observance of these virtues is right and fit: that the violation of them is prejudical to the reason, the health, the reputation, the fortunes, the families of men, and introduces riot and madness, confusion and misery into the world?

4. But further yet: Doth not every man know in his conscience, that, plain as his duties to God, his fellow-creatures, and himself are, he hath more or less transgressed them all; that he hath a nature continually prone to transgression; that, therefore, he needs both pardon for what is past, and assistance for the time to come; and that he can have neither but through Gods undeserved mercy? Upon the whole, since most of the main branches of our duty are thus obvious to our understandings of themselves; and all of them are constantly taught us, by the holy scripture, by the laws of our country, by the opinion and consent of the wisest and best of mankind, by the instructions of persons appointed for that purpose; what account do we imagine we shall possibly be able to give, why religion, so easily apprehended, is so little practised by us! If any doubt of the reality of the command; the reason is, that they desire to doubt: and how can we flatter ourselves that anything is excusable, which proceeds from a disposition of mind so grossly and wilfully wrong? Suppose a servant of ours had purposely kept out of the way of receiving our orders, or invented perplexities and cavils about the meaning of them, or the certainty of our having delivered them, because he had no mind to obey them: would that justify him? Should we not immediately tell him, that what he easily might and clearly ought to have known and understood, he was inexcusable, if he would not know and understand? And what must we think of our great Master in heaven, if we try to impose on Him with devices and tricks, that will not pass amongst ourselves? But in reality men have not this excuse, if it were one. They do know how they ought to behave; they do know that they ought to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this world, looking for the recompences of another; and they well know in the main what particulars this obligation comprehends; how grievously they have fallen short of them, and what need they have to repent and humbly beg forgiveness and strength, through Him who hath procured us a title to both. We can easily deceive ourselves; we can make specious pleas one to another for our failings; which the occasion that we have for allowances in our turn incline us often to look upon very favourably in our neighbours. But, in the sight of God, supposing a thing incumbent on us, and supposing it easily known to be so; what can be said to the purpose why we did not perform it? We were poor and ignorant. But we were not, or we needed not to have been, ignorant in this particular. We were suspicious and doubtful. But our doubts were affected, not real; or partial, not honest and upright. Still there are some, especially in some circumstances, who are to a much greater degree excusable for the sins they are guilty of than others. But yet all excuse is not a justification; and will least of all prove such to those who, instead of endeavouring to act right, set themselves to contrive reasons why their acting wrong should be dispensed with. It is true, the very best have their faults, and faults not indulged shall be forgiven us; if we are truly sorry for them, and earnestly apply to Gods mercy through Christ for pardon, and carefully watch against the return of them. (T. Secker.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 54. A cloud rise] See on Mt 16:2; Mt 16:3.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

We met with a discourse of the same nature; See Poole on “Mat 16:2-3“. The sense of our Saviour is, that God by his prophets had given them more certain signs and revelations of the coming of the Messiah, and of the nature of his kingdom, and the effects and consequences of it, than were written in nature of any natural effects; and upbraids their stupid ignorance and unbelief, that they could give credit to and discern the latter and not the former, whereas the former were much more certain.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

54. to the people“themultitude,” a word of special warning to the thoughtless crowd,before dismissing them. (See on Mt16:2, 3).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And he said also to the people,…. For what Christ had before said, were chiefly, if not solely, directed to his disciples; but now he turned himself to the innumerable multitude that were about him, and particularly addressed himself to the Scribes and Pharisees that were among them:

when ye see a cloud rise out of the west; the watery vapours being attracted by the heat of the sun, out of the Mediterranean Sea, which lies west of the land of Judea, and formed into a cloud, and drove by the wind:

straightway ye say there comes a shower; as soon as it is seen, it is presently concluded and affirmed, that a very heavy shower will soon fall, it having been frequently observed so to do, when this has been the case:

and so it is; for the most part, there commonly follows a large shower on such an appearance, and they were seldom mistaken in their conclusions.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Reconciliation to God.

      54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.   55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.   56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?   57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?   58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.   59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

      Having given his disciples their lesson in the foregoing verses, here Christ turns to the people, and gives them theirs, v. 54. He said also to the people: he preached ad populum–to the people, as well as ad clerum–to the clergy. In general, he would have them be as wise in the affairs of their souls as they are in their outward affairs. Two things he specifies:–

      I. Let them learn to discern the way of God towards them, that they may prepare accordingly. They were weather-wise, and by observing the winds and clouds could foresee when there would be rain and when there would be hot weather (Luk 12:54; Luk 12:55); and, according as they foresaw the weather would be, they either housed their hay and corn, or threw it abroad, and equipped themselves for a journey? Even in regard to changes of the weather God gives warning to us what is coming, and art has improved the notices of nature in weather-glasses. The prognostications here referred to had their origin in repeated observations upon the chain of causes: from what has been we conjecture what will be. See the benefit of experience; by taking notice we may come to give notice. Whose is wise will observe and learn. See now.

      1. The particulars of the presages: “When you see a cloud arising out of the west” (the Hebrew would say, out of the sea), “perhaps it is at first no bigger than a man’s hand (1 Kings xviii. 44), but you say, There is a shower in the womb of it, and it proves so. When you observe the south wind blow, you say, There will be heat” (for the hot countries of Africa lay not far south from Judea), “and it usually comes to pass;” yet nature has not ties itself to such a track but that sometimes we are mistaken in our prognostics.

      2. The inferences from them (v. 56): “Ye hypocrites, who pretend to be wise, but really are not so, who pretend to expect the Messiah and his kingdom” (for so the generality of the Jews did) “and yet are no way disposed to receive and entertain it, how is it that you do not discern this time, that you do not discern that now is the time, according to the indications given in the Old-Testament prophecies, for the Messiah to appear, and that, according to the marks given of him, I am he? Why are you not aware that you have now an opportunity which you will not have long, and which you may never have again, of securing to yourselves an interest in the kingdom of God and the privileges of that kingdom?” Now is the accepted time, now or never. It is the folly and misery of man that he knows not his time, Eccl. ix. 12. This was the ruin of the men of that generation, that they knew not the day of their visitation, ch. xix. 44. But a wise man’s heart discerns time and judgment; such was the wisdom of the men of Issachar, who had understanding of the times, 1 Chron. xii. 32. He adds, “Yea, and why even of yourselves, though ye had not these loud alarms given you, judge ye not what is right? v. 57. You are not only stupid and regardless in matters that are purely of divine revelation, and take not the hints which that gives you, but you are so even in the dictates of the very light and law of nature.” Christianity has reason and natural conscience on its side; and, if men would allow themselves the liberty of judging what is right, they would soon find that all Christ’s precepts concerning all things are right, and that there is nothing more equitable in itself, nor better becoming us, than to submit to them and be ruled by them.

      II. Let them hasten to make their peace with God in time, before it be too late, Luk 12:58; Luk 12:59. This we had upon another occasion, Mat 5:25; Mat 5:26. 1. We reckon it our wisdom in our temporal affairs to compound with those with whom we cannot contend, to agree with our adversary upon the best terms we can, before the equity be foreclosed, and we be left to the rigour of the law: “When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, to whom the appeal is made, and knowest that he has an advantage against thee, and thou art in danger of being cast, thou knowest it is the most prudent course to make the matter up between yourselves; as thou art in the way, give diligence to be delivered from him, to get a discharge, lest judgment be given, and execution awarded according to law.” Wise men will not let their quarrels go to an extremity, but accommodate them in time. 2. Let us do thus in the affairs of our souls. We have by sin made God our adversary, have provoked his displeasure against us, and he has both right and might on his side; so that it is to no purpose to think of carrying on the controversy with him either at bar or in battle. Christ, to whom all judgment is committed, is the magistrate before whom we are hastening to appear: if we stand a trial before him, and insist upon our own justification, the cause will certainly go against us, the Judge will deliver us to the officer, the ministers of his justice, and we shall be cast into the prison of hell, and the debt will be exacted to the utmost; though we cannot make a full satisfaction for it, it will be continually demanded, till the last mite be paid, which will not be to all eternity. Christ’s sufferings were short, yet the value of them made them fully satisfactory. In the sufferings of damned sinners what is wanting in value must be made up in an endless duration. Now, in consideration of this, let us give diligence to be delivered out of the hands of God as an adversary, into his hands as a Father, and this as we are in the way, which has the chief stress laid upon it here. While we are alive, we are in the way; and now is our time, by repentance and faith through Christ (who is the Mediator as well as the magistrate), to get the quarrel made up, while it may be done, before it be too late. Thus was God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, beseeching us to be reconciled. Let us take hold on the arm of the Lord stretched out in this gracious offer, that we may make peace, and we shall make peace (Isa 27:4; Isa 27:5), for we cannot walk together till we be agreed.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

To the multitudes also ( ). After the strong and stirring words just before with flash and force Jesus turns finally in this series of discourses to the multitudes again as in verse 15. There are similar sayings to these verses 54-59 in Matt 16:1; Matt 5:25. There is a good deal of difference in phraseology whether that is due to difference of source or different use of the same source (Q or Logia) we do not know. Not all the old MSS. give Matt 16:2; Matt 16:3. In Matthew the Pharisees and Sadducees were asking for a sign from heaven as they often did. These signs of the weather, “a shower” (, Lu 12:54) due to clouds in the west, “a hot wave” (, verse 55) due to a south wind () blowing, “fair weather” (, Mt 16:2) when the sky is red, are appealed to today. They have a more or less general application due to atmospheric and climatic conditions.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

A cloud. With the definite article, the cloud, which you so often see. There cometh a shower. Or, a shower is coming. See on Jas 5:7.

It is [] . Better, as Rev., it cometh to pass.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And he said also to the people,” (elegen de kai tois ochlois) “Then he said also to the crowds,” to the masses openly. From this it should be noted that the previous matters had been spoken to His disciples, as His church.

2) “When ye see a cloud rise out of the West,” (hotan idete nephelen anatellousan epi dusmon) “When you all see (perceive) a cloud rising out of the West,” toward the Great Sea, 1Ki 18:43; Job 37:16, coming up and toward you, Mat 16:2.

3) “Straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.” (eutheos legete hoti ombros erchetai kai ginetai houtos) “Immediately you all say a storm-shower is coming, and so it comes,” or that is the way it occurs, as you observe the weather signs, Mat 16:3.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Appleburys Comments

Signs of the Coming Storm
Scripture

Luk. 12:54-59 And he said to the multitudes also, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass. 55 And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass. 56 Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time? 57 And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58 For as thou art going with thine adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him; let haply he drag thee unto the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison. 59 I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the very last mite.

Comments

When you see a cloud rising.Jesus had just been telling the disciples what His earthly mission would do to their lives and to the lives of others who would take sides for or against Him. He also warned the crowds about the coming storm.

People were able to read weather signs, why couldnt they interpret the signs that pointed to the rejection of the Son of God and the resulting destruction that was coming upon Jerusalem? The setting of this whole lesson is the bitter opposition to Jesus expressed by the Pharisees and lawyers (Luk. 11:52 to Luk. 12:1).

And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?With all the evidence about them, why couldnt they make the right decision by themselves? That decision called for them to align themselves with Christ; for if they let the matter go before God the Judge of heaven, they would lose their case. And many of them did just that (Luk. 19:42). Before Pilate they rejected their King, and on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit spoke through the apostles and charged them with the guilt of having crucified Him whom God made both Lord and Christ (Act. 2:23; Act. 2:36).

with thine adversary before the magistrate.The crowds were in danger of considering Christ as their adversary. He appealed to them to settle the issue before it was too late.

In Mat. 5:25, the same figure is used, but there it refers to the necessity of brethren adjusting their differences before attempting to approach God in worship.

Thou shalt by no means come out.A person in debtors prison had no possible way of earning money to effect his release. There is no escape from the final state of punishment into which sinner must go.

Summary

The scribes and Pharisees continued their attack on Jesus after leaving the house where He had dined with the Pharisee. This became the occasion for His warning to the disciples. The false teaching of the Pharisees was like leaven, transforming all who came in contact with it into hypocrites like the Pharisees. But their hypocrisy was exposed by Jesus.
For the encouragement of the disciples, Jesus told them about Gods protective care. He called on them to acknowledge Him even in face of all the threats of their enemies. He reminded them that the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say in the hour of need.
A man came to Jesus asking Him to tell his brother to divide their inheritance. Jesus told the story of the man God called a fool, He pointed out that life does not consist in possessions; the important thing is to be rich toward God. Jesus explained they could be rich in this way; it meant putting the kingdom of God first, for He said, where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.
Since life is temporary, it is necessary to be alert to avoid being caught unprepared when the Lord comes again. When He comes, He will reward the faithful and punish the wicked.
His mission was like kindling a fire. Already there was the struggle going on between members of ones own family over their relation to Him.
Jesus chided the multitudes for their inability to see what was about to happen to them. He urged them to agree with Him before it was too late, for there will be no escape from punishment on the Judgment Day for those who fail to acknowledge Him before men.

Questions

1.

What was the occasion of Jesus warning about the leaven of the Pharisees?

2.

What was it that had caused the crowds to gather at this time?

3.

Why did Jesus say that the leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy?

4.

What important lesson did Paul teach using the figure of leaven to illustrate it?

5.

How can leaven be used as a symbol of false teaching and also of teaching that is true?

6.

What effect does the truth of the Gospel have on those who hear it and obey it?

7.

What did Jesus do about the hypocritical teaching of the Pharisees?

8.

What did Jesus tell the apostles to do about what He taught them?

9.

Why did He say that they were not to be afraid of them that kill the body?

10.

Of whom were they to be afraid? Why?

11.

What lesson did He teach by calling attention to the sparrows?

12.

What lesson did He teaching by calling attention to the fact that the hairs of their heads were numbered?

13.

Why did Jesus demand allegiance from His disciples?

14.

What examples are given in the Scriptures of men confessing their faith in Him even in face of death?

15.

Why could a word spoken against the Son be forgiven when blasphemy against the Holy Spirit couldnt?

16.

What is this unforgivable sin?

17.

What would the Holy Spirit do for the apostles when they were brought before the authorities of the synagogues?

18.

How does God provide for the answers we may be called on to give today?

19.

What was the request of the man from the crowd?

20.

Why didnt Jesus do as the man requested?

21.

What important lesson did Jesus teach by the story of the man God called a fool?

22.

What foolish thing was the man doing?

23.

What was his fatal mistake?

24.

What does it mean to be rich toward God?

25.

What is one to do to become rich toward God?

26.

What did Jesus tell the disciples that would keep them from being anxious about food and clothing?

27.

What can anxiety to for life? What cant it do?

28.

What is the Fathers concern about mans need for food and clothing?

29.

How does one seek first the kingdom of God?

30.

What did Jesus say about the heart and treasure?

31.

What is meant by Let your loins be girded?

32.

Why did Jesus liken His coming to a thief in the night?

33.

Why did Peter want to know if Jesus was talking to all or just to the apostles?

34.

How did He answer Peters question?

35.

What is the lesson of the unfaithful servant?

36.

What about degrees of punishment?

37.

What did Jesus mean by casting fire upon the earth?

38.

In what way was it already kindled?

39.

What did He mean when He said, I have a baptism?

40.

What warning did Jesus give the crowds which He based on their ability to read the weather signs?

41.

What storm warnings should they have been able to see?

42.

What did He mean by saying that they should agree with their adversary?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(54-56) When ye see a cloud rise out of the west.See Notes on Mat. 16:2. The differences in form are, however, noticeable enough to suggest the impression here also of like teaching at a different time. In St. Matthew the words come as an answer to the demand for a sign, here without any such demand; there the signs are the morning and the evening redness of the sky, here the cloud in the west and the south wind blowing. It is, however, probable enough that the like answer was called forth by a like occasion.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘And he said to the crowds also, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, straight away you say, ‘There comes a shower,’ and so it happens.”

Jesus has now turned His concentration back on the crowds who have been drinking in His words, even if they have failed to fully understand them. He draws their attention to weather signs which they use in order to know what weather to expect. A cloud rising in the west will be coming in from the sea and will therefore contain a large quantity of water which is just waiting to fall once it is affected by land. Thus such a cloud regularly indicates rain.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Crowds Should Therefore Take Heed. They Must Recognise That Now Is The Time They Have Been Waiting For And That They Should Therefore Agree With Their Adversary (Jesus And His Words) While There Is Yet Time (12:54-59).

Having spoken His momentous words Jesus now turns to the crowds and takes up the fact that they can detect the signs that indicate what the weather will be, but fail to gather the signs, such as those just mentioned, that reveal that the time of salvation is here. They are knowledgeable about the heaven above, and yet they are unable to discern the real heavenly signs, the ones that really matter, such as His own words, wonders and signs, and what has been described in the previous passage, the likelihood of Jesus suffering at the hands of His enemies, the effects on family life of His message which will be a fulfilment of prophecy, and the fire of judgment that is inevitably coming on them, both in fulfilment of Scripture, and because of their continual belligerence towards the Romans revealed in their continual hot-headed responses (Palestine was in ferment at that time, and was like a can of fizzy drink. It only had to be shaken for it to overflow. Or like a wineskin of wine in old wineskins, waiting for it to ferment and burst).

Analysis.

a He said to the crowds also, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, straight away you say, ‘There comes a shower,’ and so it happens”, and when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens” (Luk 12:54-55).

b “You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven (Luk 12:56 a).

c “But how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?” (Luk 12:56 b).

b “And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?” (Luk 12:57).

a “For as you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him, lest haply he drag you to the judge, and the judge shall deliver you to the officer, and the officer shall cast you into prison, I say to you, you will by no means come out from there, until you have paid the very last penny” (Luk 12:58-59).

Note that in ‘a’ we have two parallel ideas, and in the parallel there are two parallel ideas, both indicating the consequences of their judgments. Interpreting the heaven and earth correctly results in the expected weather, the anticipated consequences, and failing to judge what is right also results in what might be seen as the anticipated consequences. In ‘b’ they can judge the weather, but in the parallel they cannot judge what is right. But the purpose of the pattern here is again in order to centre on the vital point in ‘c’, the fact that the people are unable to discern the time.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Jesus Rebukes the People For Their Hypocrisy In Luk 12:54-59 Jesus turns to the people and rebukes them for their hypocrisy. They were not able to judge the times that they were living in (Luk 12:54-56) and they were not being willing to make peace with their accusers (Luk 12:57-59). This is Jesus’ closing remarks in response to the individual in the crowd who asked Jesus to arbitrate his inheritance. He summarizes by telling them that they can judge events in nature, yet they cannot judge righteously among themselves on moral matters.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. Discerning the Times Luk 12:54-56

2. Making Peace with Your Adversaries Luk 12:57-59

Luk 12:54-56 Discerning the Times ( Mat 16:2-3 ) In Luk 12:54-56 Jesus rebukes the people for not being able to judge the times that they were living in while being able to judge the natural world around them.

Luk 12:54 Comments – To the west of Israel is the Mediterranean Sea, which brings moisture with its rain clouds.

Luk 12:55 Comments – To the south of Israel is the Arabian Desert, which brings heat with its hot, dry winds.

Luk 12:57-59 Making Peace with Your Adversaries ( Mat 5:25-26 ) In Luk 12:57-59 Jesus continues His rebuke to the people for their unwillingness to make peace with one another instead of dragging each other to court. This statement is made within the context of Luk 12:13-59 in which He was asked to be an arbitrator between an inheritance of two brothers.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

A last word to the people:

v. 54. And He said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

v. 55. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

v. 56. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

v. 57. Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

v. 58. When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him, lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

v. 59. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite.

See Mat 16:2-3. It was a word of impressive warning which Jesus spoke to the people, as He had spoken to the Pharisees on a former occasion. The people in general had not profited by the Lord’s ministry of preaching, although they resembled their leaders very strongly in certain external particulars. When the clouds came up from the west, from the Mediterranean Sea, it was a sure sign of rain, and the prognostication of the people was made accordingly. When, the wind blew from the south, from the desert, it brought a withering heat; this they could predict with unfailing certainty. But the time and circumstances under which they were living the people could not judge properly; there they could not draw the right conclusions. They were a shallow lot, without judgment in spiritual things. Such is also the generation of these latter days, with wisdom and good judgment in external, worldly matters, but without understanding of the spiritual needs of our day and age.

The Jews were so void of proper judgment in matters concerning morality and religion that they did not even judge rightly in matters pertaining to their own private affairs. They did not know that placableness is a virtue which must be cultivated at all times, if it can be done without denial of the truth, Rom 12:18. The Lord here uses the picture of a creditor and a debtor on their way to court. The rational, expedient thing to do under the circumstances is for the debtor to seek a settlement out of court; he should make it a matter of all diligence to get away from the creditor. Should the debtor fail in his attempt, he may find himself dragged before the judge, the judge, in turn, making short work of him by committing him to an officer whose duty it was either to collect the debt after the judge had decreed payment, or to put the debtor into jail till the debt was paid. In such a case even the very last lepton, half of a quadrans, less than half a cent, was exacted. Thus people in general should not wait and hesitate about seeking reconciliation with their adversary in time. It may become too late before they realize it. Death will overtake such persons, and they will find God an implacable Judge in such matters. To keep the example of God in Christ Jesus before his mind at all times and to pray the Fifth Petition with a full understanding of its import, will be the aim of every true Christian.

Summary. Jesus warns against hypocrisy and covetousness, teaches true trust in God and the proper preparation for His own coming to Judgment, and admonishes the people to cultivate placableness.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Luk 12:54-55. And he said also to the people, When Jesus had done speaking to his disciples, he addressed the unbelieving multitude, who on this occasion were gathered together, and stood round, hearing the instruction which he gave to his disciples. See Luk 12:1. The Mediterranean Sea lying west of Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1Ki 18:44. The word properly signifies a shower; and the word , in the next verse, sultry or scorching heat. The wind which is south of Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasions a great heat in the air. Those which are properly called the hot winds in that climate, are so hot, that they bring on a faintness and difficulty of breathing.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Luk 12:54-56 . See on Mat 16:2 f. The reason of those hostile separations, spoken of in Luk 12:52 f., lay, on the part of the people in whose bosom they were sure to arise, in the mistaking of the Messianic period as such. Hence the rebuke that now follows is addressed to the people ; it is otherwise in the historical connection that appears in Matthew. Still the significant saying, in different forms, may have been uttered on two different occasions.

] the cloud , which shows itself.

.] therefore from the region of the sea. Comp. 1Ki 8:44 , and see Robinson, Pal . II. p. 305.

] so undoubted it is to you.

Luk 12:55 . ] scil . , to wit, in the objects moved by it.

Luk 12:56 . ] see on Mat 16:3 . Not unsuitable as an address to the people (de Wette), but it has in view among the people, especially through pharisaical influence (Luk 12:1 ), the untrue nature (the ) which, as such, made them blind to the signs of the times!

] but this season , the phenomena of which so unmistakeably present to you the nearness of the Messiah’s kingdom (and Jesus Himself as the Messiah), how is it possible that ye should leave it so unexamined?

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

(54) And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower: and so it is. (55) And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. (56) Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? (57) Yea, and why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right? (58) When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. (59) I tell thee, Thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite.

We have those Scriptures already noticed, Mat 16:2 and Mat 5:25 , to which I refer.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

Ver. 54. See Mat 16:2 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

54 59. ] REPROACHES FOR BLINDNESS TO THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The connexion of this with the foregoing is natural and close. ( Luk 12:52 ), the distinction shall begin to be made; the discord and division between those who discern ( Luk 12:56 ) and those who do not. Our Lord then turns to the crowd ( . He not only said to the disciples the foregoing, but also to the crowd the following) and reproaches them (1) for their blindness , in not being able to discern it, as they did the signs in the natural heavens; and (2) for their want of prudence ( Luk 12:57-59 ), in not repenting and becoming reconciled to the law of God while yet there was time. Schleiermacher and De Wette can discover no connexion, and yet the latter thinks Luke inserted the sayings of Luk 12:54-56 out of Mat 16 , because of Luk 12:49 ff.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

54. ] There is a somewhat similar saying of our Lord at Mat 16:2 ff., but differing both in its occasion and its substance.

., just as , the cloud, that usually rises there: see 1Ki 18:44 . The west, in Juda, would be the direction of the sea.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 12:54-59 . A final word to the crowd ( cf. Mat 16:2 f., Luk 5:25 f.). : in Mt. Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and Sadducees, in reply to their demand for a sign, which gives a more definite occasion. But the words might quite appropriately have been addressed to the people at large. The weather-skill ascribed to the audience is such as any one might possess, and all Jews needed the warning. The precise circumstances in which this logion was spoken are uncertain. , in the west, the region of the setting sun, and of the Mediterranean. A cloud rising up from that quarter meant, of course, rain (1Ki 18:44-45 ).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 12:54-56

54And He was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. 55And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?”

Luk 12:54 “He was saying to the crowds” Notice Jesus expressly states the group He is addressing (see note at Luk 12:41).

“When you see” Jesus offers a series of weather forecasting signs (Luk 12:54-55) that this Palestinian audience knew well. They could predict the weather, but were blind to the coming judgment of God. They missed God’s Messiah (cf. Luk 12:56)!

Luk 12:56 “hypocrites” See Special Topic at Luk 6:42.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

also to the people = to the crowds also; not “in-consequent”. See the Structure “L”, p. 1471).

out of = from. Greek. apo. App-104.

shower. Occurs only here.

it is = it happens.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

54-59.] REPROACHES FOR BLINDNESS TO THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The connexion of this with the foregoing is natural and close. (Luk 12:52), the distinction shall begin to be made;-the discord and division between those who discern (Luk 12:56) and those who do not. Our Lord then turns to the crowd (. He not only said to the disciples the foregoing, but also to the crowd the following) and reproaches them (1) for their blindness, in not being able to discern it, as they did the signs in the natural heavens; and (2) for their want of prudence (Luk 12:57-59), in not repenting and becoming reconciled to the law of God while yet there was time. Schleiermacher and De Wette can discover no connexion, and yet the latter thinks Luke inserted the sayings of Luk 12:54-56 out of Matthew 16, because of Luk 12:49 ff.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 12:54. , also to the multitudes) For He had spoken the former words to the apostles. See Luk 12:42, note. The imitators of Christ ought to submit even to division (, Luk 12:51) for the sake of His name: whereas the multitude, being void of the influence of that heavenly motive, ought to seek after peace as their chief aim. In the case of the people, quarrels are an impediment to the entrance of grace. See Luk 12:58.- , from the west [the setting of the sun]) The sea was on the west of the Jews: whence rain arose from that quarter.-, straightway) without hesitation or doubt.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Chapter 83

Discerning The Time

In these verses our Lord Jesus spoke specifically to the common people, the people who heard his doctrine and saw his miracles, those men and women who claimed to believe God, who claimed to be the people of God. Yet, he denounces them in exactly the same way as he had denounced the scribes, the Sadducees and the Pharisees, as hypocrites. Their teachers and preachers were blind men, but wilfully blind as well. Both the religious leaders and the people who followed them, our Lord here denounces and rebukes as hypocrites.

Our Responsibility

First, we must understand that it is our responsibility in this day, the day in which we live, to judge what is right by discerning the time in which we live (Luk 12:54-57). Our Master is not here suggesting that natural men have spiritual discernment. The scriptures universally declare that the natural man is totally blind to all things spiritual and ignorant (1 Corinthians 2). What he does tell us is that his claims as the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world were so evidently true that the only reason the men and women of his generation did not acknowledge him as such, the only reason they did not judge what was right was the fact that they were not honest. They were hypocrites. The sceptre of civil government had departed from Judah. Daniels seventieth week had been fulfilled. Elijah (John the Baptist) had come. And our Lords miracles clearly attested his Messiahship.

Yet, the men and women of his day refused to acknowledge that which was manifestly true and right. Why? They chose their religious customs and refused to give them up. They preferred the approval and acceptance of men to the approval and acceptance of God. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. They loved religion, but hated God. They were unwilling to be separated from family and friend for the truth and glory of God.

We read in 1Ch 12:32 that the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. Oh, how desperately we need such men today! Israel was passing through some troublesome, unsettling times. Critical issues had to be faced and dealt with. At a time when the cause and kingdom of God was under assault, the men of Issachar understood the times and stepped forward. They knew what had to be done, and they did it. I repeat, we desperately need such men today.

Let us judge, discern, and seek to understand the times in which we live. I ask only that we read the Book of God. In the light of the plain statements of holy scripture, I assert that we are living in perilous times of Apostasy, divine judgment, and spiritual darkness, such as the world has never seen before (Rom 1:18-32; 2Th 2:1-16; 1Ti 4:1-3; 2Ti 3:1-5; Rev 20:1-8).

These are days of horrid apostasy. These are times of unparalleled evil, moral degeneracy, political corruption, and spiritual darkness. These are times of horrible indifference and spiritual lukewarmness. These are times of universal compromise. These are times of ambiguity and tolerance toward everything abominable and evil, and times of utter intolerance for the truth and glory of God.

What does this day require of us? What do these present, perilous times demand of you and me? Times like these demand of Gods people a bold, uncompromising, unflinching adherence to the singular authority of holy scripture, a distinct and decided, untiring declaration of gospel doctrine, and faithfulness, dedication and sacrifice for the cause of Christ. Times like these demand of us a clear recognition of our most important priorities and our most weighty responsibilities, and a diligent watchfulness over our own souls.

This day is Gods day and these times are Gods times. Let there be no mistake about that fact. This is the day God has made for us. What a great day in which to serve him! I would rather live in this day than any other. Never was there a day that provided the church of God with greater needs, greater opportunities, and greater means of usefulness than we have at our fingertips.

Day Of Grace

Now, I want you to look at Luk 12:58-59 and learn that this is the day of grace and salvation. If you are wise, you will make it your business to be delivered from your adversary before you meet your Judge. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow will be too late. The Lord Jesus here compares us to a man on his way to meet the magistrate, the judge, with an adversary. You and I are on our way to meet the God of Glory on his great white throne judgment seat. The adversary walking with us is Gods holy, condemning law. If we are not delivered from the claims of this adversary before we meet God in judgment, we must forever be cast into hell.

The only way we can ever appease this adversary is by a mighty Advocate, who has a payment, a sacrifice by which he is and must be satisfied. That Advocate and Sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ (2Co 5:17 to 2Co 6:2; 1Jn 2:1-2; 1Jn 4:9-10; Rom 8:1; Gal 3:13-14; Col 2:12-15; 1Pe 3:18). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be reconciled to God. The time is short. Judgment is at hand. We pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

When: 1Ki 18:44, 1Ki 18:45, Mat 16:2-4

Reciprocal: Mat 16:1 – a sign Mar 7:14 – when Mar 8:11 – seeking

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

5

Jesus referred the Jews to their own study of the conditions in nature, in which they professed to know how to figure out the future by present signs.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

THE first thing which this passage teaches us is the duty of noticing the signs of the times. The Jews in our Lord’s days neglected this duty. They shut their eyes against events occurring in their own day of the most significant character. They refused to see that prophecies were being fulfilled around them which were bound up with the coming of Messiah, and that Messiah Himself must be in the midst of them. The scepter had departed from Judah, and the lawgiver from between his feet. The seventy weeks of Daniel were fulfilled. (Gen 49:10. Dan 9:24.) The ministry of John the Baptist had excited attention from one end of the land to the other. The miracles of Christ were great, undeniable, and notorious. But still the eyes of the Jews were blinded. They still obstinately refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ. And hence they drew from our Lord the question,-“How is it that ye do not discern this time?”

It becomes the servants of God, in every age, to observe the public events of their own day, and to compare them with the predictions of unfulfilled prophecy. There is nothing commendable in an ignorant indifference to contemporary history. The true Christian should rather watch the career of governments and nations with a jealous watchfulness, and hail with gladness the slightest indication of the day of the Lord being at hand. The Christian who cannot see the hand of God in history, and does not believe in the gradual movement of all kingdoms towards the final subjection of all things to Christ, is as blind as the Jew.

Have we no signs of the times to observe? The question is soon answered. The history of the last seventy years is full of events which demand the prayerful attention of every servant of Christ. The things that have happened within these seventy years ought to send us to our watch towers, and raise in us great searchings of heart. The rise and progress of a missionary spirit among all Protestant Churches,-the wide-spread interest felt about the Jews,-the evident decay of the Mohametan power,-the shaking of all the kingdoms of Europe by the French Revolution,-the extraordinary spread of knowledge and education,-the marvellous revival of Romanism,-the steady growth of the most subtle forms of infidelity,-all these are facts which cannot be denied, and facts which ought to speak loudly to every well-informed Christian. Surely they deserve to be called signs of our times.

Let us remember the words of our Lord in the passage before us, and not err after the manner of the Jews. Let us not be blind, and deaf, and insensible to all that God is doing, both in the Church and in the world. The things of which we have just been reminded are surely not without meaning. They have not come on the earth by chance or by accident, but by the appointment of God. We ought not to doubt that they are a call to watchfulness, and to preparation for the day of God. May we all have an ear to hear, and a heart to understand! May we not sleep as do many, but watch and discern our time! It is a solemn saying in the book of Revelation: “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Rev 3:3.)

The second thing which this passage teaches us, is the immense importance of seeking reconciliation with God before it be too late. This is a lesson which our Lord illustrates by a parable or comparison. He compares us to a man on his way to a magistrate with an adversary, in consequence of a difference or dispute, and describes the course which such a man ought to take.-Like him, we are upon our way to the presence of a Judge. We shall all stand at the bar of God.-Like him, we have an adversary. The holy law of God is against us, and contrary to us, and its demands must be satisfied.-Like him, we ought to give diligence to get our case settled, before it comes before the Judge. We ought to seek pardon and forgiveness before we die.-Like him, if we let our opportunity slip, the judgment will go against us, and we shall be cast into the prison of hell. Such appears to be the meaning of the parable in the passage before us. It is a vivid picture of the care which men ought to take in the great matter of reconciliation with God.

Peace with God is by far the first thing in religion. We are born in sin, and children of wrath. We have no natural love towards God. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is impossible that God can take pleasure in us. “The wicked his soul hateth.” (Psa 11:5.) The chief and foremost desire of everyone who professes to have any religion, should be to obtain reconciliation. Till this is done, nothing is done. We have got nothing worth having in Christianity, until we have peace with God. The law brings us in guilty. The judgment is sure to go against us. Without reconciliation, the end of our life’s journey will be hell.

Peace with God is the principal thing which the Gospel of Christ offers to the soul. Peace and pardon stand in the forefront of its list of privileges, and are tendered freely to everyone that believes on Jesus. There is One who can deliver us from the adversary. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Christ has blotted out the handwriting that was against us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The claims of our adversary are all satisfied by Christ’s blood. God can now be just, and yet the justifier of every one that believeth on Jesus. A full atonement has been made. The debt has been completely paid. The Judge can say, “Deliver them, I have found a ransom.” (Job 33:24.)

Let us never rest till we know and feel that we are reconciled to God. Let it not content us to go to Church, use means of grace, and be reckoned Christians, without knowing whether our sins are pardoned, and our souls justified. Let us seek to know that we are one with Christ, and Christ in us,-that our iniquities are forgiven, and our sins covered. Then, and then only, may we lie down in peace, and look forward to judgment without fear. The time is short. We are traveling on to a day when our lot for eternity must be decided. Let us give diligence that we may be found safe in that day. The souls that are found without Christ shall be cast into a hopeless prison.

==================

Notes-

v54.-[He said to the people.] Let it be noted, that the concluding portion of the Lord’s discourse in this chapter is specially addressed to “the people,” and not to the disciples as the preceding verses were. It consists of a general rebuke of the blindness of the Jewish nation in not seeing the signs of the times, and the fulfilment of prophecy, and a general exhortation to seek reconciliation with God, before it be too late.

[A cloud rise out of the west…a shower.] It should be remembered that the Mediterranean sea lies on the West of the whole Jewish territory. It was from this quarter that rain generally came. The “little cloud” rising out of the sea, which Elijah’s servant saw from Mount Carmel, and which brought rain, is an illustration of our Lord’s words. (1Ki 18:44.)

v55.-[The south wind blew…heat.] It should be remembered, that the great wilderness of Sinai and the hot deserts of Arabia, lie to the South of the Jewish territory. This accounts for winds from this quarter bringing heat. (Jer 4:11-12.)

v56.-[Ye hypocrites-ye can discern the face of the sky.] Our Lord’s argument appears to be that the signs of His advent as the true Messiah, were so clear and intelligible, that it required no more discernment to see them, than it did to foretell heat or rain from observations of the heavens and the winds. If the Jews would honestly and impartially consider the signs of their times, they could not avoid the conclusion that Christ was the Messiah. The truth was that they were not honest in their inquiries, but prejudiced and unbelieving. He therefore calls them “hypocrites.”

v57.-[Why even of yourselves judge ye not…right.] We must be careful not to interpret this verse so as to make it contradict other Scriptures. Our Lord does not mean to say that the Jews could understand spiritual things, and see the kingdom of God by their own unassisted judgment, and without the teaching of the Holy Ghost. His meaning is, “why do ye not of yourselves, by simply observing what is going on around you, form a right judgment about my claim to be received as the Messiah, and a just decision upon the matters in dispute between me and your teachers, the Scribes and Pharisees.”

The Greek word translated “right,” is more commonly rendered “‘just” or “righteous.”

v58.-[When thou goest with thine adversary, &c.] It is worthy of remark that the contents of this verse and the following, are found in the Sermon on the Mount, in an entirely different connection. It is evident that our Lord made use of the same illustration on two different occasions, and with two entirely different applications. In the Sermon on the Mount, the words are used to enforce the great duty of forgiveness of injuries. In the passage before us, our Lord’s object appears to be to enforce the solemn duty of seeking timely reconciliation with God. Life is the way. The law of God is the adversary. The magistrate represents the last judgment. The prison represents hell. This certainly appears to me the only satisfactory exposition of the passage. The other view, that it is only a repetition of the lesson in Mat 5:25, is liable to this grave objection, that it makes Our Lord conclude a solemn discourse by a most abrupt introduction of a subject which has no connexion with the context. On the other hand, to enforce on the multitude around him, the great duty of seeking reconciliation with God before it was too late, appears a natural termination of the whole address.

Stier remarks, “The mere reference to placability towards a brother with whom I may have a matter of litigation, would not be a distinctive conclusion of this discourse, (although it was occasioned by the contention of brothers about an inheritance,) and would be an inexplicable subsidence of the strain into a matter quite foreign to Luk 12:55-57.”

v59.-[Not depart thence, till thou hast paid.] The meaning of this expression is, “Thou shalt never depart at all.” Poole remarks, “It is a sign the Papists are at a woeful loss for arguments to prove purgatory, when they make use of this text, as if it spake of a prison for souls, from which there is an outlet.” Such an argument would prove many absurdities, if applied to other texts where the expression “until” is used. See Psa 71:18, Psa 110:1, and Mat 1:25.

Theophylact remarks, “If we shall remain in prison until we pay the uttermost farthing, and are never able to pay it, it is manifest that future punishment is eternal.”

Euthymius says, “This means, Thou shalt never come out from prison at all.”

Stella, the Spanish commentator, says, “The wicked shall be placed in hell till they pay their debt to the uttermost farthing; and as they never will pay it, it is certain that they will be there to all eternity.”

Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

Luk 12:54-59. REPROACH OF THE PEOPLE, for blindness and want of prudence with respect to the signs of the times. The connection with what precedes is close: the discord, as already begun, arises from the fact that the mass of the people do not discern the time. The very turning to the people, after the address to the disciples, is a token of this division. The form differs from that of Matthew, and such thoughts might well be repeated. The weather signs of Luk 12:54-55 still hold good in Palestine, the west wind coming from the sea, and the south wind from the hot desert. Other signs are probably alluded to in Luk 12:56 : of the earth. The thought is that of Mat 16:2-3, but the signs are different, as well as the hearers: there the Pharisees and Sadducees, here the crowd gathered about Him. But they were under the influence of these leaders. This was the answer to the question: how is it that ye know not how to discern, put to the test and judge, this time. The signs were plain enough. The duty of such discernment as well as the danger of failure appears from the history of the Jewish people during that century. But the duty and danger remain; the latter a sad proof of the power of sin over the mind as well as the heart.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Our Saviour in these words does at once upbraid the stupid ignorance of the Jews in general, and the obstinate infidelity of the Pharisses in particular, in that they could make a judgment of the weather by the sight of the sky, by the appearnace of the heavens, and the motion of the winds, but could not discern this time of the Messiah, though they had so many miraculous signs and evidences of it; and for this he upbraids them with hypocrisy: Ye hypocrites! Ye can discern the face of the sky, but you do not discern this time.

Learn thence, that to pretend either more ignorance, or greater uncertainty, in discerning the signs of gospel times (the time of our gracious visitation) than the signs of the weather, is great hypocrisy: Ye hypocrites! Can ye not discern this time?

Observe farther, that Christ does not here condemn the study of nature, or making observations of the state of the weather by the face of the sky; for Almighty God, by natural signs, gives us warning of a change in natural things; and in like manner, by his providential dispensations. He gives us warning of a change in civil things: He that is wise will observe both, and by their observation will come to understand the pleasure of the Lord.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Luk 12:54-56. And he said to the people Namely, to the unbelieving multitude, which on this occasion was gathered together, and stood around him: When ye see a cloud, &c. As if he had said, The perverseness which I have spoken of, as about to take place when my gospel is more fully and universally preached, already shows itself in your overlooking so many proofs of the Messiahs appearance among you, while you discover such sagacity in your observations with respect to other things. For when you see a cloud rise out of the west Or coming from that quarter; ye say, There cometh a shower , a heavy shower, and so it is: it happens as foretold. The Mediterranean sea lying west from Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1Ki 18:44-45. And when ye see the south wind blow From the deserts of Arabia, and other hot climates; ye say, There will be heat , sultry or scorching heat; and it cometh to pass Your conjecture is verified. The wind which came from the southward of Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasioned, as it still does, a great heat in the air. Those which are called the hot winds in that climate are so hot that they bring on fainting and difficulty of breathing. Ye hypocrites Who pretend to ask for a further sign, as if you were really desirous to know whether I be or be not a divine teacher; ye can discern the face of the sky So as to foretel the changes in the weather before they come; but how is it that ye do not discern this time This season of the Messiahs coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs. He meant both the time of the Messiahs appearing on earth to accomplish the salvation of mankind, according to the ancient prophecies, and also the time of his coming to destroy the Jewish nation, which he had described under the similitude of one who comes secretly and unexpectedly to rob a house.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

5 th. To the Multitudes: Luk 12:54-59.

After having announced and described the rending, the first symptoms of which He already discerns, Jesus returns anew to the multitude whom He sees plunged in security and impenitence; He points out to those men, so thoroughly earthly and self-satisfied, the thunderbolt which is about to break over their heads, and beseeches them to anticipate the explosion of the divine wrath.

Vers. 54-56. The Signs of the Times.And He said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? , He said also, is, as we have already seen (i. p. 276), the formula which Luke uses when Jesus at the close of a doctrinal discourse adds a last word of more gravity, which raises the question to its full height, and is intended to leave on the mind of the hearer an impression never to be effaced: Finally, I have a last word to address to you. This concluding idea is that of the urgency of conversion. Country people, in the matter of weather, plume themselves on being good prophets, and in fact their prognostics do not mislead them: Ye say, ye say…, and as ye say, it comes to pass. The rains in Palestine come from the Mediterranean (1Ki 18:44); the south wind, on the contrary, the simoom blowing from the desert, brings drought. These people know it; so their calculation is quickly made (); and what is more, it is correct ( , twice repeated). So it is, because all this passes in the order of things in which they are interested: they give themselves to discover the future in the present; and as they will, they can. And this clear-sightedness with which man is endowed, they put not forth in the service of a higher interest! A John the Baptist, a Jesus appear, live and die, without their concluding that a solemn hour for them has struck!

This contradiction in their mode of acting is what Jesus designates by the word hypocrites. What they want is not the eye, it is the will to use it. The word , the propitious time, is explained by the expression, Luk 19:44, the time of thy visitation. , to appreciate the importance.

Mat 16:1-3 ought not to be regarded as parallel to our passage. The idea is wholly different. Only in Matthew our Luk 12:56 has been joined with a parable similar to that of Luke in point of form, and that by an association of ideas easily understood.

Vers. 57-59. The Urgency of Reconciliation to God.Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58. (For) While thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite.

A new example ( ) of what they would make haste to do, if their good-will equalled their intelligence. , of yourselves; same meaning as the at once ye say (Luk 12:54). It should be so natural to perform this duty, that it ought not to be necessary to remind them of it. But alas! in the domain of which Jesus is speaking, they are not so quick to draw conclusions as in that wherein they habitually move. Their finger needs to be put on things. , what is just, denotes the right step to be taken in the given situation, to wit, as the sequel shows, reconciliation to God by conversion.

The following parable (Luk 12:58) is presented in the form of an exhortation, because the application is blended with the figure. The for (Luk 12:58) has this force: Why dost not thou act thus with God? For it is what thou wouldst not fail to do with a human adversary. We must avoid translating the , when thou goest (E. V.). signifies whilst thou goest; it is explained by the in the way which follows. It is before arriving at the tribunal, while you are on the way thither, that you must get reconciled to him who accuses you. Once before the judge, justice takes its course. The important thing, therefore, is to anticipate that fatal term. seems to be a Latinism, operam dare. In the application, God is at once adversary, judge, and officer: the first by His holiness, the second by His justice, the third by His power. Or should we understand by the creditor, God; by the judge, Jesus; by the officers, the angels (Mat 13:41)? Will it ever be possible, relatively to God, to pay the last mite? Jesus does not enter into the question, which lies beyond the horizon of the parable. Other passages seem to prove that in His view this term can never be reached (Mar 9:42-49). There is in the whole passage, and especially in the I tell thee (Luk 12:59), the expression of a personal consciousness wholly free from all need of reconciliation.

Matthew places this saying in the Sermon on the Mount (Luk 12:25-26); he applies it to the duty of reconciliation between men as the condition of man’s reconciliation to God. It cannot be doubted that this saying, placed there by Matthew in virtue of a simple association of ideas, finds its real context in Luke, in the discourse which is so perfectly linked together.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

SIGNS OF HIS COMING

Luk 12:54-59 And He also spoke to the multitude, When you may see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say that the rain is coming, and it is so; and when you may see the south wind blowing, you say it will be warm, and it is so. Ye hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the earth and sky, and how do you not discern this time? The seventy weeks of Daniel, four hundred and ninety days i.e., prophetic years, from the return of the Jews out of Babylonian captivity till the coming of Christ had already been fulfilled; and that notable prophecy, The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come, had also been fulfilled, as Herod the Great, who died while the infant Jesus was in Egypt, was their last king, Coponius, his successor, being a Roman proconsul, so the scepter had already departed from Judah. Besides, all the prophecies were being wonderfully fulfilled in Him, John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, having not only preached Him, but actually pointed Him out to them. Amid all of these wonderful prophetical fulfillments, corroborated by His stupendous miracles, yet they did not believe on Him. It was not the want of intelligence and learning; as we see here they very shrewdly diagnosed the signs of the material world. The trouble was spiritual. They had rejected the Holy Spirit, their only Illuminator. A similar phenomenon characterizes the present generation. While the present age is flooded with the fulfillment of the latter-day prophecies, indubitable omens of our Lords return manifest on all sides, yet how blind the present generation! As in that day the greatest trouble was with the leading ministers, so it is now. And why do you not judge a righteous judgment in reference to yourselves? Their verdict in reference to the material world was correct; while our Lord is grieved to see them so utterly ignorant with reference to themselves, thus working out their own hopeless ruin. For as you go with your adversary to the ruler, give attention on the way to be reconciled with him, lest he may deliver thee to the judge, and the judge shall turn thee over to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison. I say unto thee, Thou mayest not go out from thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. We have this same statement in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:25). Our Savior is the Opposer of every soul rushing into hell. He is also the Judge of quick and dead. Here you are admonished to be reconciled with Him quickly, while in the way i.e., when you have time and opportunity; lest your Opposer (i.e., the Mediatorial Christ), in your hellward-bound way, shall turn you over to the Judicial Christ; who, of course, can do nothing but condemn you, and deliver you to the officer i.e., Satan who will cast you into prison i.e., into hell where you must stay till you pay the uttermost farthing. Of course, you will never get out, as you have nothing to pay with.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

12:54 {14} And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud {n} rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

(14) Men who are very quick to see with regard to earthly things are blind with regard to those things which pertain to the heavenly life, and this through their own malice.

(n) Which appears, and gathers itself together in that part of the air.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Decision for Jesus 12:54-59

Jesus again focused His teaching on the multitudes (cf. Luk 12:13). He urged the people to discern the significance of the present times. This was important in view of the coming judgment and the present division of opinion concerning Himself. Luke did not indicate a chronological connection between this section and the preceding one, though there may have been one. He may have inserted this teaching here because of its logical connection with what precedes. In effect Jesus was calling the people to join the ranks of His faithful disciples before it was too late.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Rain clouds moved in from the Mediterranean to the west and usually indicated showers. Southerly winds often brought hotter weather from the desert that lay in that general direction.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)