EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
(54-56)
When ye see a cloud rise out of the west.—See Notes on
Matthew 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.
Luke 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 Messiah’s 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—
Ομβρος,
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
1 Kings 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—
Καυσων,
sultryor
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 yedo not discern this time— This season of the Messiah’s coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs. He meant both the time of the Messiah’s 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.
12:54-59 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.
See the notes at
Matthew 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?
Lu 12:54-59. Not Discerning the Signs of the Time.
54. to the people—"the multitude," a word of special warning to the thoughtless crowd, before dismissing them. (See on [1653]Mt 16:2, 3).
Ver. 54-56. We met with a discourse of the same nature;
See Poole on "Matthew 16:2",
See Poole on "Matthew 16:3". 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.
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.
{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.
