Church Fathers on Luke 12:56

When He spoke about preaching, and called it a sword, His hearers may have been troubled, not knowing what He meant. And therefore our Lord adds, that as men determine the state of the weather by certain signs, so ought they to know His coming. And this is what he means by saying, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, There comes a shower. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, There will be heat, &c. As if He says, Your words and works…

Or, they who from the change of the elements can easily when they like predetermine the state of the weather, might if they wished also understand the time of our Lord’s coming from the words of the Prophets.

For the prophets have in many ways foretold the mystery of Christ; it became them therefore, if they were wise, to stretch their prospect beyond to the future, nor will ignorance of the time to come avail them after the present life. For there will be wind and rain, and a future punishment by fire; and this is signified when it is said, A shower comes. It became them also not to be ignorant of the time of salvation, that is, the coming of the Savior, through whom perfect…