He also said to the crowds, “When you see [a] cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; 55 and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
57 “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. 59 I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus speaks to the crowd about things they already know. People in Palestine watched the western sky for moisture from the Mediterranean and felt the south wind from the Negev bring heat. They could “read” the weather, but they were failing to read what stood before them: the arrival of God’s kingdom in Jesus.
He names the problem plainly. They can interpret clouds and wind, yet they do not “interpret the present time.” The “time” here is not the hour of day but the decisive moment of God’s action (cf. Rom. 13:11; 2 Cor. 6:2). Signs are not puzzles for curiosity; they point to response. Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem to endure the suffering and death He has foretold—the path by which God’s reign will be revealed (cf. Lk. 9:22; 18:31-33); His works and words have been one long sign that God’s reign is breaking in (cf. Lk. 4:18-21). The failure is moral as much as intellectual: they will not admit what the signs demand.
He then turns from reading signs to making judgments. “Judge for yourselves what is right” shifts the focus from sky-watching to conscience. The image of an accuser on the way to the magistrate teaches urgency. If you know you owe a debt, reconcile before you stand before the judge. In Matthew, this same teaching is linked to settling with an “opponent” quickly to avoid harsher consequences (Mt. 5:25-26). Luke keeps the point practical. Delay hardens the case against you; prompt reconciliation opens a path to peace.
The “last penny” image shows that delay does not erase responsibility. In Luke’s flow, this echoes earlier warnings about readiness and accountability (Lk. 12:35-48). The moment for making things right is not later, but now. Reading the “present time” means recognizing Jesus’ call to turn, to believe, and to repair what can be repaired while we are “on the way.”
St. John Chrysostom (c. 349–407) explains that the Lord urges reconciliation without delay because anger and debt grow heavier with time; peace made early lightens the judgment later. St. Augustine (354–430) reads the road image as our present life: while we are pilgrims, mercy can still be sought and granted; after the verdict, only the consequences remain. Both Fathers hear in Jesus’ words a summons to act promptly in truth and charity.
The thread tying these verses together is simple. God has given enough light to respond. We can read the sky; we must also read the grace in front of us. Interpreting the signs means recognizing Jesus as the decisive work of God and making peace with God and with one another before we stand at a court we cannot avoid.
Lord Jesus, give us honest minds and ready hearts. Teach us to read the grace before us, to make peace on the way, and to welcome Your reign today.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- The Navarre Bible: St. Luke, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. Chiu et al. (2018).
- The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Brown et al. (1990).
- St. John Chrysostom (c. 349–407), Homilies (on reconciliation and prompt peace).
- St. Augustine (354–430), Sermons/Tractates (on reconciling “on the way” and the urgency of mercy).
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