The term sign of the times, denoting something indicative of the kinds of things happening in a particular period, goes back to the Gospel of Matthew. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Sign of the Times”
Here’s another phrase I was surprised to learn comes from a particular translation of the Bible, sign of the times.
Oh, wow. Really?
Yeah. That was a fantastic album.
It was. And I’m betting that Prince appreciated that.
Well, I don’t know if he knew or not, but it comes from Matthew 16, where Jesus is talking to the Pharisees, and they ask him for a sign from heaven.
And he says, when it is evening, ye say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red.
And in the morning, it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.
O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Wow, that’s fantastic.
Isn’t that kind of a tingly passage, right?
Yeah.
The back of your neck feeling.
Yes.
Yeah, wow.
Yes.
Yeah, in the Greek there is semia.
For signs, it’s like the word semaphore in English.
Or semiotics, perhaps.
Yeah, exactly.
Semantics, yeah.
Fantastic.
Well, we’d love to hear from you.
