He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus uses the Pharisees' common knowledge of weather forecasting to highlight their willful blindness. They can easily read the sky's "redness" for signs of fair weather, yet they refuse to interpret the clear signs of God's kingdom breaking into the world right before their eyes.
He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Pharisees and Sadducees, despite their differences, band together to test Jesus, demanding a sign from heaven to prove his authority. Jesus responds by calling them hypocrites, pointing out their ability to predict the weather by observing the sky but their failure to discern the spiritual signs of the times. He argues that just as natural signs indicate coming weather, the events and teachings surrounding him were clear indicators of God's kingdom at hand.
Jesus points out a startling contrast: the religious leaders could predict the weather with amazing accuracy, yet they were blind to the most significant events happening right before their eyes. What does this say about our own ability to discern truth?
Jesus uses a common, everyday observation to expose the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They were experts at reading the signs in the sky – a red evening sky meant fair weather, while a red and threatening morning sky signaled a storm. They understood the natural world well enough to make these predictions.
The Irony of Insight
But the profound irony is that they were completely unable to interpret the 'signs of the times' concerning Jesus himself. God was unfolding His plan for salvation right in front of them, demonstrated by Jesus' miracles, teachings, and the fulfillment of prophecy. Yet, they demanded another sign from heaven, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence already presented.
This wasn't a lack of intelligence; it was a willful blindness. They were sharp enough to forecast the weather but too proud and spiritually immature to recognize the Messiah.
Why were the Pharisees and Sadducees so insistent on a sign from heaven? Jesus reveals their demand wasn't about seeking truth, but about testing and potentially trapping Him.
The request for a sign from heaven wasn't a genuine plea for confirmation. The Scriptures tell us they came 'tempting' Jesus. This means they were testing Him, trying to find fault or prove Him powerless.
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A Trap, Not a Question
They weren't asking with open hearts, ready to believe. Instead, they were hoping Jesus would either fail to provide a sign or perform one that they could twist into an accusation. Their hearts were hardened, more interested in trapping Jesus than understanding His divine mission.
Jesus recognized this manipulation. He knew that even if He performed a spectacular miracle, they would likely dismiss it or find a reason to reject Him, just as they had with countless other signs. Their demand was a sign of their own unbelief, not a genuine desire for divine proof.
1st century AD
Jewish Religious Climate
During the time of Jesus, the Jewish religious landscape was marked by tension between various groups like the Pharisees and Sadducees, who often had differing interpretations of the Law and the coming of the Messiah. Both groups, however, were skeptical of Jesus' claims and sought signs to validate his authority.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus engaged in widespread teaching and miraculous works throughout Galilee and Judea, attracting large crowds and challenging the religious authorities with his message and authority.
c. AD 30— this verse
Pharisees and Sadducees Challenge Jesus
The Pharisees and Sadducees, despite their differences, united to 'test' Jesus by demanding a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his divine authority. They aimed to trap him or discredit him publicly.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Rebuke and Sign of Jonah
Jesus rebuked their hypocrisy, comparing their ability to predict the weather based on sky signs to their failure to recognize the 'signs of the times' indicating his Messiahship. He declared that no sign would be given to that generation except the sign of Jonah, referring to his own death and resurrection.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching, contrasting the crowd's ability to interpret weather signs with their failure to recognize the spiritual significance of his time.
Matthew 12:38Jesus rebukes a similar demand for signs, highlighting the hypocrisy of those who seek outward displays while ignoring the clear evidence already presented.
John 6:30This passage shows the crowd asking Jesus for a sign, mirroring the Pharisees' demand and revealing a pattern of seeking supernatural authentication rather than accepting the message itself.
Isaiah 5:20This prophetic passage speaks to a similar spiritual blindness where people call good evil and evil good, reflecting the Pharisees' misjudgment of Jesus' divine signs as mere trickery.
calvinMatthew 16:1-4: "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven."
- And the Pharisees, together with the Sadducees, came, and tempting desired that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2. But he answering said to them, About the commencement of the evening you say, It will be fine weather; for the sky is red. 3. And in the morning, There will be a storm today; for the sky is red and lowering. Hypocrites, you can judge aright of…
henryMatthew 16:1-4: "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven."
16:1-4 The Pharisees and Sadducees were opposed to each other in principles and in conduct; yet they joined against Christ. But they desired a sign of their own choosing: they despised those signs which relieved the necessity of the sick and sorrowful, and called for something else which would gratify the curiosity of the proud. It is great hypocrisy, when we slight…
Jesus uses the Pharisees' common knowledge of weather forecasting to highlight their willful blindness. They can easily read the sky's "redness" for signs of fair weather, yet they refuse to interpret the clear signs of God's kingdom breaking into the world right before their eyes.
The Pharisees and Sadducees, despite their differences, band together to test Jesus, demanding a sign from heaven to prove his authority. Jesus responds by calling them hypocrites, pointing out their ability to predict the weather by observing the sky but their failure to discern the spiritual signs of the times. He argues that just as natural signs indicate coming weather, the events and teachings surrounding him were clear indicators of God's kingdom at hand.
The Pharisees and Sadducees, despite their differences, band together to test Jesus, demanding a sign from heaven to prove his authority. Jesus responds by calling them hypocrites, pointing out their ability to predict the weather by observing the sky but their failure to discern the spiritual signs of the times. He argues that just as natural signs indicate coming weather, the events and teachings surrounding him were clear indicators of God's kingdom at hand.
"He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’" — Jesus uses the Pharisees' common knowledge of weather forecasting to highlight their willful blindness. They can easily read the sky's "redness" for signs of fair weather, yet they refuse to interpre…
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Last reviewed October 2026