Luke 12 55

Luke 12:55 kjv

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

Luke 12:55 nkjv

And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is.

Luke 12:55 niv

And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is.

Luke 12:55 esv

And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens.

Luke 12:55 nlt

When the south wind blows, you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is.

Luke 12 verses

Luke 12 55 Meaning

Luke 12:55 describes Jesus highlighting the everyday, practical wisdom of the people. He notes their accurate ability to predict "scorching heat" when observing "the south wind blow," and their prediction reliably "happens." This simple, undeniable observation of a natural phenomenon serves as a setup for Jesus' rebuke in the following verse, drawing a stark contrast between their proficiency in discerning earthly signs and their failure to discern the spiritual signs of the "times" – specifically, the urgent arrival of God's Kingdom through His own ministry.

Luke 12 55 Context

Luke chapter 12 details a series of Jesus' teachings to His disciples and the surrounding crowds, focusing on issues of discipleship, readiness for the Kingdom of God, and warning against various pitfalls. Themes such as hypocrisy, covetousness, worry, and faithfulness are prominent. Immediately preceding Luke 12:55, Jesus asks why the crowd can discern the weather by observing clouds from the west bringing rain (Lk 12:54). He then follows with the observation of the south wind bringing heat in Luke 12:55. This sets up the direct critique in Luke 12:56, where Jesus questions their inability to discern the "signs of this time" – His very presence and ministry ushering in the Kingdom of God. Historically, the audience, predominantly an agricultural society in Palestine, was highly dependent on weather patterns for their livelihoods. Their daily lives necessitated keen observation and accurate prediction of natural signs, making their expertise in this area a readily accepted common truth upon which Jesus could build His spiritual point.

Luke 12 55 Word analysis

• And when ye see (ὅταν ἴδητε – hotan idēte): The verb idēte (ἴδητε), from horao, implies an active, cognitive process of seeing and perceiving, not just physical sight. It highlights that the crowd doesn't just glimpse the wind; they consciously observe it, understand its implications, and draw conclusions from it. This suggests a level of understanding applied to natural phenomena.
• the south wind (τὸν νότον – ton noton): Notos (νότος) refers specifically to the wind blowing from the south. In the geographic context of ancient Palestine, winds from the south, particularly from the Arabian Desert, consistently brought dry, oppressive heat and often hot, dusty conditions. It was a well-known, predictable weather phenomenon, making it an apt example for common human understanding.
• blow (πνέοντα – pneonta): A straightforward Greek participle describing the action of the wind. Its inclusion emphasizes the observable, tangible nature of the weather sign.
• ye say (λέγετε – legete): The present tense of the verb "to say" indicates their confident, accustomed declaration. It is a pronouncement based on established knowledge and observation.
• There will be scorching heat (ὅτι καύσων ἔσται – hoti kausōn estai): Kausōn (καύσων) refers to a powerful, burning, or scorching heat, often a hot wind. It implies an intense, tangible discomfort, beyond mere warmth. The use of estai, the future tense, denotes certainty and a confident expectation of the outcome. This is a definitive forecast.
• and it happens (καὶ γίνεται – kai ginetai): Ginetai (γίνεται), meaning "it comes into being" or "it takes place," affirms the accuracy and reliability of their weather predictions. It underscores the undeniable fact that their observations about the natural world lead to predictable and correct outcomes, establishing a clear premise for the contrast Jesus is about to draw.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And when ye see the south wind blow": This phrase establishes the people's sensory experience and observational capacity concerning their immediate physical environment. It speaks to a common, shared knowledge of cause and effect in nature, which is readily apparent and understood by everyone.
• "ye say, There will be scorching heat": This demonstrates their intellectual ability to interpret observable data and articulate a specific, accurate prediction based on that interpretation. It reveals a form of practical wisdom that applies known principles to current conditions to foresee a future outcome.
• "and it happens": This concluding part confirms the validity and truthfulness of their natural foresight. It underscores that their predictions in the earthly realm are reliable and consistently fulfilled, setting the stage for the crucial question of why they cannot apply similar discernment to spiritual matters.

Luke 12 55 Bonus section

This verse subtly underscores the truth that God's presence and works are, in many ways, as observable and predictable for those who have eyes to see as natural phenomena. Just as the south wind reliably brings heat, so too were the signs and wonders of Jesus' ministry, alongside His teachings, consistently pointing to the undeniable reality of God's Kingdom at hand. The common knowledge of weather patterns served as an unchallengeable analogy that highlighted the inexcusable nature of their spiritual insensitivity. The principle extends beyond the literal weather to any form of predictable reality which human beings are quick to acknowledge and exploit, yet fail to recognize divine interventions or warnings.

Luke 12 55 Commentary

Luke 12:55 encapsulates Jesus' affirmation of the crowd's empirical skill in natural observation. They possessed an inherent and practiced ability to read meteorological signs with accuracy, forecasting whether the wind from the south would bring its customary scorching heat. This everyday aptitude, however, stood in stark contrast to their profound inability or unwillingness to interpret the more significant, divinely orchestrated "signs of the times" that Jesus' ministry manifested before their very eyes. The seemingly simple statement is, therefore, a prelude to a powerful spiritual rebuke, exposing a disconnect where practical sagacity in the mundane overshadows spiritual blindness to the momentous work of God among them. Their competence in forecasting physical weather amplified their failure to recognize the spiritual season, implying that their spiritual dulness was a choice, not a limitation of understanding.