“For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:31)
Three questions arise from Jesus’ words to the women who cried because of what was done to him. Jesus addresses them, “But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” (Luke 23:28) The three questions are what are the things done that Jesus is talking about? What does He mean by green tree? And who is the dry?
To answer the first question, we go to the prophet Isaiah. “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:1-4) Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will come from Jesse, the father of David. This prophecy is about when Jesus returns in glory to reign on the earth. Later Isaiah prophesies that He will be unrecognizable as the Messiah (Isaiah 53:1-3) But Jesus leaves no room for doubt of Who He is in His revelation to John. “I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” (Revelation 22:16)
He is the branch that sprung out of a tree. Doesn’t that make Him a tree? There is a study and I think controversial that holds that the Tree of Life is symbolically Jesus because its fruit gives eternal life. How can a tree literally give eternal life? We must remember that many things in the Bible are symbolic of things to come and things that have actually happened. Why? The things of God pertain to Him. Their revelation is for a time, a time appointed by Him. It was necessary to keep from evil the revelation of Who Jesus was so that His purpose of redemption of the world could be fulfilled. The devils rejoiced in the crucifixion because they didn’t know it was their doom. So, in Luke 23:31, Jesus reveals Who He is by saying these things are happening in a green tree, a tree full of life Who gives life.
These things are the sufferings of Jesus, taking sin, its punishment and shame and ultimately death. Those who believe and trust in Jesus are spared the punishment and death of sin. Jesus adds, “... what shall be done in the dry?” What shall be done to those without the life of Jesus in them? The renown British commentator, Charles H. Spurgeon writes: “When God saw Jesus in the sinner's place, He did not spare Him; and when He finds the unregenerate without Christ, He will not spare them.” It’s too terrible to think of the horrors that await them.
In Revelation we get a glimpse of the terrible terrors that will come upon the earth on the evil. First, they will have to go through the Great Tribulation which is in itself a terrible time like no other has been. Then upon the return of Jesus all kinds of heavenly terrors will be manifested in the battle of Armageddon and the judgement of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46) which will occur before the reign of Jesus on earth for a thousand years. That is why when Jesus addressed the weeping women He said, “For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.” (Luke 23:29-30) Jesus, on His way to die for us, reveals in symbolism Who He is and the future of those without Him. It’s revealed to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see. And it’s hidden from those who refuse Him.
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