In 12:54-59 we have the Lord’s teaching about the discernment of time. The Lord’s words recorded in verses 49 through 53 were delivered to His disciples. What He says in verses 54 through 59 is addressed to the crowd, to the unbelievers.
In 12:54-56 the Lord said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say that a rainstorm is coming, and so it happens; and when a south wind is blowing, you say that there will be heat, and it happens. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the earth and the heaven; how is it then that you do not discern this time?” The word “discern” in verse 56 also means prove by testing, and “face” denotes appearance. The Greek words rendered “how is it then that you do not discern” may also be rendered “but this time you do not know how to discern.” To discern this time is to discern the signs of the time (Matt. 16:3). These signs are that John the Baptist has come to announce the coming of Messiah, as was prophesied (Luke 3:2-6, 15-17), and that Messiah is here, ministering Himself so that the people may receive Him and be saved. The people could discern signs concerning the weather and the appearance of earth and heaven, but they could not discern the signs brought in by John the Baptist and the Messiah Himself.
In verse 57 the Lord continues, “And why do you not even of yourselves judge what is right?” Even without the teaching of the Lord, the Jews had enough signs to judge of themselves the right way to follow and the right thing to do at that time, that is, to receive the Lord and follow Him. However, they refused to receive Him and follow Him.
In verses 58 and 59 the Lord says, “For as you are going with your opponent to a magistrate, endeavor to be released from him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you up to the officer, and the officer will throw you into prison. I tell you, you will by no means come out from there until you have paid the very last copper coin.” The Greek word translated “copper coin” is lepton, the second smallest coin of the Greco-Roman coinage of Palestine. The word “for” at the beginning of verse 58 indicates that verses 58 and 59 are a continuation of verse 57, in which the Man-Savior charged the Jews that, while they were still on the way (going), under the law (their opponent—John 5:45) to meet God (the magistrate) and be judged by Christ (the judge—John 5:22; Acts 17:31), they should endeavor to be released from the law so that they might not be judged by Christ and thrown into the lake of fire (prison—Rev. 20:11-15) by the angel (the officer—see Matt. 13:41). If that should happen, they will by no means come out forever (Luke 12:59).
The word in 12:58 and 59 was spoken to the crowds (v. 54) for their repentance and salvation. But in Matthew 5:25 and 26 this word is applied to the disciples for their kingdom life: “Be well disposed quickly with your opponent, while you are with him in the way, lest the opponent deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, You shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the last quadrans.” Here the Lord says that we should “be well disposed quickly” lest we die, our opponent die, or the Lord come back, and thus there be no opportunity for us to be reconciled to our opponent. In Greek “opponent” means an opponent in law, a plaintiff. “In the way” signifies that we are still living in this life. Being delivered to the judge will take place at the judgment seat of Christ when He comes back (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10). The “judge” will be the Lord, the “officer” will be the angel, and the “prison” will be the place of discipline. To “come out from there” (prison) is to be forgiven in the coming age, the millennium.
The Roman quadrans was a small brass coin equal to a quarter of an assarion, which is equal to one cent. The meaning here is that even with the smallest thing we need to make a thorough clearance. This kind of clearance is related to the kingdom life.