Weather Signs
Watchfulness. Stripes. Division. Make peace betimes.
(The Gospel History, Section 100)
And he said to the multitudes also, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass. And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time? And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? For as thou art going with thine adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him; lest haply he hale thee unto the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison. I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the very last mite.
Commentary by J. R. Dummelow
Lk 12:54–56 > Mt 16:2, 3. They professed to be able to forecast the weather, but shut their eyes to the signs of the times which denoted the speedy fulfilment of the prophecies respecting the coming of the Messiah.
Lk 12:57. Peculiar to Lk. Of yourselves] Why, even without signs, do you not judge rightly of Me and My doctrine by the natural light of reason and conscience?
Lk 12:58, 59 > Mt 5:25. Thine adversary] The injured brother of v. 22 is now represented under the figure of a creditor who has power to bring the debtor before the judge, and to cause him to be cast into prison. Prison] i.e. divine punishment in general, whether in this world or beyond the grave in the intermediate state (Hades), from which release was regarded as possible (12:32). Not, however, in hell (Gehenna), from which there is no release (18:8). The idea is that God will exact the full penalty for all offences against the law of love. In 1 Pet 3:19 ‘prison’ refers exclusively to punishment in the inter-mediate state: cp. Jude v. 6. 26. Farthing (Lat. quadrans)] about half-a-farthing. Lk (12:59) has lepton, i.e. about a quarter of a farthing.
Weather Signs
(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book IV Poem LV)
Christ turned Him to the multitude, agape,
Ready to hear His words but heeding not,
And scarce aware when aught is said, which should
Constrain to quick response, decisive act:
“Ye, too, be hypocrites, ye foolish ones,
Playing at life the while ye read the signs
Displayed above, foretell or wet or fine,
But take no heed of signs more ominous
Enacted in your midst, nor pause to ask
Amid the play of cares ye call your life,—
‘Why, here is a new thing, what meaneth it?
What message hath this Prophet in our midst?
Denote His words fair weather, or more foul
Than this cloud-heavy day we labour in?
What is’t to us, what comes? Our Rulers, sure,
’Tis theirs to know the portent and declare;
We have our bread to get!’ Poor souls, know ye,
There be things more than bread! To read the signs—
Here is the task for each. Think not to play
At heavy toil of getting meat and drink,
As if life were but these, nor hope to leave
Your thinking to some wise one while ye work;
This, too, is laid on you,—ye shall discern
For yourselves signs that appear; e’en ye shall judge
How circumstance affects the soul of man!
“Bethink you how ye stand; a man in debt,
His poor estate all mortgaged, lies awake
Pond’ring how best he may propitiate
The adversary who hails him to the judge:
‘Nay,’ saith he, ‘I will cry aloud and plead,
Pray him take pity on my wife and babes,
Beg his forgiveness that I took that debt
Upon me I could not discharge’; but, ‘Pray,’
(So plans the man, rehearsing all the scene),
‘Forgive me, trust me that my arduous days,
The labours of my hands, in part shall pay
This so great debt I owe thee’
So he pleads,
This poor man with his adversary, knows,
The law set moving once, escape is none,
The judge delivers to the officer
Who casts him into prison, there to lie
Till the last coin be paid! And how to pay
The while he lies inert, a prisoner bound!
“This debtor, in his generation wise,
Knows his sole hope’s his adversary to win.
What think ye of him, deep in debt to God,
Who comes not meek to sue to Him he owes
For a reprieve, for pardon; nor discerns
When God sends Messenger to deal with him?”
St. Luke xii. 54–59.
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