Luke 12:56 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?
Luke 12:56 nkjv
Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
Luke 12:56 niv
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
Luke 12:56 esv
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Luke 12:56 nlt
You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don't know how to interpret the present times.
Luke 12 56 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 16:1-3 | Pharisees and Sadducees came... "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather'... In the morning, 'It will be stormy'... You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." | Direct parallel to Lk 12:56, highlighting their failure to discern the signs of Jesus' Messiahship. |
| Mk 13:28-29 | "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the time is near..." | Analogy using natural signs to urge discernment of prophetic times. |
| 1 Chr 12:32 | Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do... | Praises those with insight to discern critical historical/spiritual moments. |
| Dan 12:10 | Many shall purify themselves... but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. | Spiritual understanding of end-time prophecies is reserved for the wise/righteous. |
| 1 Thess 5:1-6 | But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you... For you are all children of light... not in darkness. | Believers are called to be spiritually alert and discerning regarding the timing of God's plan. |
| Is 29:13 | This people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men. | Highlights the hypocrisy of outward religiosity lacking genuine internal discernment. |
| Jer 5:21 | "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not; who have ears, but hear not..." | A rebuke against those with physical senses yet spiritual blindness to God's actions. |
| Jn 9:39-41 | Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." ... "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains." | Those who claimed spiritual insight were revealed as truly blind. |
| Mt 23:23-28 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe... and neglect the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness..." | Broader denouncement of hypocrisy that prioritizes external adherence over spiritual truth. |
| Mk 7:6-7 | And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me...'" | Citing Isaiah to address the hypocrisy of misplaced religious priorities. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities... have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. | Though not direct, speaks to the inexcusability of failing to discern God's obvious work. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law... | Highlights the precise and appointed timing (kairos) of Christ's arrival. |
| 2 Cor 6:2 | For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. | Emphasizes the urgency and current nature of the "acceptable time" for salvation in Christ. |
| Eph 1:10 | As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. | Refers to God's ultimate plan being fulfilled in the appointed time through Christ. |
| Heb 1:1-2 | Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son... | Indicates the climax of God's revelation occurring through Christ in a specific era. |
| Jn 7:6-8 | Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here..." | Shows Jesus' own awareness of God's appointed "time" for His actions. |
| Lk 19:41-44 | And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes... because you did not know the time of your visitation." | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's failure to recognize His specific visit (kairos) as the Messiah. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Basic principle that genuine understanding starts with reverence for God. |
| Heb 5:14 | But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. | Calls for developing spiritual senses for discerning truth, relevant to understanding God's activity. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. | Explains why spiritual discernment is beyond natural human capacity without the Holy Spirit. |
Luke 12 verses
Luke 12 56 Meaning
Jesus directly confronts His audience, accusing them of hypocrisy because they are skilled in predicting natural weather patterns by observing the sky and earth, yet they fail to recognize or understand the crucial spiritual significance of the era in which they are living—the very time of the Messiah's advent and ministry. It is a rebuke for their spiritual blindness and their inability to discern God's unfolding redemptive plan in their present reality, despite having abundant signs.
Luke 12 56 Context
Luke 12 begins with Jesus warning against hypocrisy and teaching His disciples not to fear man but God, urging them to confess Him. It transitions to parables about God's provision and the futility of greed, stressing the importance of being ready for the Master's return (being spiritually alert). Immediately preceding Luke 12:56, Jesus teaches the crowds (Lk 12:54-55) about interpreting weather signs: if they see a cloud rising in the west, they know rain is coming; if the south wind blows, they expect scorching heat. This leads directly to His accusation in verse 56, contrasting their natural aptitude with their spiritual inadequacy. The broader historical context is one where Jewish people, including their religious leaders, were eagerly awaiting the Messiah but often held preconceived notions of what He would look like or do, causing many to overlook the fulfillment of prophecy standing directly before them in Jesus.
Luke 12 56 Word analysis
- You hypocrites! (Ὑποκριταί - hypocritai):
- Word-level: Derived from "actors" or "stage players." It implies a pretense or outward show that conceals an inner reality. Here, it signifies not just feigned piety, but a stark inconsistency between what they can do (discern natural signs) and what they refuse to do (discern spiritual signs). It is a harsh rebuke, challenging their spiritual authenticity.
- You know how to interpret (δοκιμάζετε - dokimazete):
- Word-level: Means "to test," "to prove," "to discern," or "to approve." They have practical experience and ability in making judgments about natural phenomena. This emphasizes their competence in one domain.
- the appearance of earth and sky (τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - to prosopon tēs gēs kai tou ouranou):
- Word-level: "Appearance" (prosopon) refers to the "face" or visible aspect. This highlights their acute observation of meteorological and terrestrial indicators. Their ability was tied to their daily lives and agricultural pursuits, crucial for their livelihood in a pre-scientific society. They could read nature's signs perfectly.
- but why do you not know how to interpret (πῶς οὐκ οἴδατε δοκιμάζειν - pōs ouk oidate dokimazein):
- Word-level: "Why" (pōs, here meaning "how is it that") points to the absurdity and lack of logic in their spiritual blindness. "Do not know" (ouk oidate) contrasts sharply with their knowing of natural signs. This isn't merely a lack of information but a lack of will or spiritual perception, often due to hardened hearts or adherence to human traditions. It highlights a deliberate spiritual resistance or dullness.
- the present time? (τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον - ton kairon touton):
- Word-level: Kairos (not chronos, which is linear time) signifies a decisive, opportune, or critical moment—a quality time, a divinely appointed season. It's the critical period when God's redemptive work is unfolding through Jesus. Their failure was in not grasping that they were living in the Messianic age, the fulfillment of prophecy, the very era of God's visitation.
- Significance: This is the core of Jesus' indictment. They correctly interpret daily weather patterns, which have immediate, temporary effects. Yet, they are utterly blind to the kairos of God, which has eternal implications and affects the spiritual destiny of humanity.
- Words-group analysis:
- "You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky" vs. "but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
- Significance: This striking juxtaposition reveals the core issue: misplaced priorities and spiritual apathy. Their earthly wisdom about the natural world (predicting rain for crops, heat for harvests) contrasts with their spiritual folly concerning the spiritual world. Jesus implies that if they can grasp predictable natural patterns, they should be even more capable of discerning the unfolding of God's divine plan, especially with all the miraculous signs and teachings He provided. This polemic directly challenges the Jewish leadership and people for their spiritual inadequacy in recognizing the Messiah.
Luke 12 56 Bonus section
The charge of "hypocrites" is especially potent because Jesus implies their blindness is not due to ignorance, but rather an unwillingness to acknowledge truth that challenges their preconceived notions or positions of authority. The kairos Jesus refers to is not just a general time period, but specifically the Messianic era inaugurated by His coming. Their inability to recognize this constituted a monumental spiritual failure, leading to their rejection of Him and ultimately, Jerusalem's judgment. This verse serves as a perpetual challenge for all generations of believers: to always be spiritually discerning of God's active work in their "present time" and not to be so absorbed by temporal concerns that they miss eternal opportunities or critical spiritual realities. It implies a moral culpability for spiritual ignorance when the truth is self-evident.
Luke 12 56 Commentary
Jesus' scathing rebuke in Luke 12:56 cuts to the heart of spiritual hypocrisy and discernment. His audience, particularly the religious leaders and the observant populace, possessed an impressive, almost innate, ability to read the natural world – predicting weather was essential for their agrarian society. Yet, this earthly astuteness sharply contrasted with their profound spiritual blindness. They failed to discern the most crucial "sign": the very presence and ministry of Jesus, who represented the fulfillment of millennia of prophecy. This was the "present time" (kairos) – the opportune, decisive moment in God's redemptive history. Jesus challenged them not because they lacked knowledge, but because they willfully ignored the signs that were undeniably present – His miracles, His teachings, His very identity. It underscored that true wisdom is not just in understanding physical phenomena but in recognizing and responding to God's active presence and will in one's own generation.