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” (Luke 12:54-55).
b “You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven (Luke 12:56 a).
c “But how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?” (Luke 12:56 b).
b “And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?” (Luke 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” (Luke 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.