Luke 12:56

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

BSB

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?

KJV

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?

ASV

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?

BBE

O false ones! the face of the earth and the heaven is clear to you; how is it that the signs of these times are not as clear to you?

Original Greek

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The early church

Or, they who from the change of the elements can easily when they like predetermine the state of the weather, might if they wished also understand the time of our Lord's coming from the words of the Prophets.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For the prophets have in many ways foretold the mystery of Christ; it became them therefore, if they were wise, to stretch their prospect beyond to the future, nor will ignorance of the time to come avail them after the present life. For there will be wind and rain, and a future punishment by fire; and this is signified when it is said, A shower cometh. It became them also not to be ignorant of the time of salvation, that is, the coming of the Saviour, through whom perfect piety entered into the world. And this is meant when it is said, Ye say that there will be heat. Whence it follows in censure of them, Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and the earth, but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
When He spoke about preaching, and called it a sword, His hearers may have been troubled, not knowing what He meant. And therefore our Lord adds, that as men determine the state of the weather by certain signs, so ought they to know His coming. And this is what he means by saying, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower. And when ye see the south wind blowing, ye say, There will be heat, &c. As if He says, Your words and works show me to be opposed to you. Ye may therefore suppose that I came not to give peace, but the storm and whirlwind. For I am a cloud, and I come out of the west, that is, from human nature; which has been long since clothed with the thick darkness of sin. I came also to send fire, that is, to stir up heat. For I am the strong south wind, opposed to the northern coldness.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 54–59

Christ would have the people to be as wise in the concerns of their souls as they are in outward affairs. Let them hasten to obtain peace with God before it is too late. If any man has found that God has set himself against him concerning his sins, let him apply to him as God in Christ reconciling the world to himself. While we are alive, we are in the way, and now is our time.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 12 →

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Cross-references

11

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.