Matthew 16:3

And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?

And {G2532} in the morning {G4404}, It will be foul weather {G5494} to day {G4594}: for {G1063} the sky {G3772} is red {G4449} and lowring {G4768}. O ye hypocrites {G5273}, ye can {G1097} discern {G1252}{G3303} the face {G4383} of the sky {G3772}; but {G1161} can ye {G1410} not {G3756} discern the signs {G4592} of the times {G2540}?

and in the morning you say, `Storm today!' because the sky is red and overcast. You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can't read the signs of the times!

and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.

And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.

Matthew 16:3 presents Jesus's sharp rebuke to the religious leaders of His day, highlighting their profound spiritual blindness despite their ability to interpret natural phenomena.

Context

This verse immediately follows a confrontation where the Pharisees and Sadducees demand a sign from heaven to prove Jesus's authority. Instead of giving them a miraculous display on their terms, Jesus turns their own observational skills against them. He notes their proficiency in predicting weather based on the sky's appearance (a "red and lowring" sky indicating foul weather) and contrasts it sharply with their failure to recognize the much more significant spiritual indicators of His presence and ministry.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Blindness vs. Natural Discernment: Jesus points out the irony that those who claimed to be spiritual guides were adept at earthly observations but utterly incapable of discerning God's hand at work right before their eyes. This speaks to a willful ignorance of divine truth.
  • The Nature of Hypocrisy: Jesus's direct address, "O ye hypocrites," underscores His condemnation of their pretense. They were outward observers of the law but inwardly lacked genuine spiritual understanding or faith, a theme Jesus often addressed (see Matthew 23 for more on hypocrisy).
  • Discerning the Signs of the Times: This phrase refers not just to chronological time but to the significant, opportune era of God's redemptive activity, specifically the arrival of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. The miracles, teachings, and very person of Jesus were the ultimate "signs" they were failing to recognize, fulfilling ancient prophecies.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word translated "hypocrites" is hypokritēs, which originally referred to an actor or one who wears a mask. Jesus uses it to expose the insincerity and pretense of the religious leaders who put on a show of piety but lacked true spiritual insight. The "signs of the times" (Greek: ta semeia tōn kairōn) emphasizes kairos, referring to a critical, opportune moment in God's redemptive plan, rather than mere chronological time (chronos). They could read the physical signs of the weather, but not the spiritual signs of God's decisive moment.

Significance and Application

Matthew 16:3 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual complacency and willful blindness. It challenges us to look beyond superficial observations and genuinely seek to understand God's activity in our world and lives. Just as the religious leaders missed the ultimate sign of Jesus's first coming, believers today are called to be spiritually discerning, recognizing the spiritual 'weather patterns' of our age and the ongoing work of God. It encourages a deep engagement with scripture and prayer to cultivate a spirit that can perceive divine truth (see 1 Corinthians 2:14), rather than merely observing outward circumstances.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 12:56

    [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?

  • 1 Chronicles 12:32

    And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.

  • Matthew 11:5

    The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

  • Luke 13:15

    The Lord then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering?

  • Matthew 15:7

    [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

  • Matthew 4:23

    ¶ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

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