The Green Tree and the Dry

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Luke 23:31  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 11
Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
"For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Luke 23:3131For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? (Luke 23:31).
The "green tree" in this scripture is Christ Himself, and the "dry" is the Jewish nation. Together with others, the women of Jerusalem followed Jesus on His way to Calvary and, in the natural tenderness of their hearts, they "bewailed and lamented Him." Jesus, turning, bade them weep rather for themselves and for their children on account of the judgment that would soon fall upon the unhappy and guilty city and people (vv. 29, 30), adding, "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" That is, if such things—wicked malice, hypocrisy, unrighteous judgment, and a degrading death were visited upon Him who was like a green tree (compare Psalm 1:33And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3); Jer. 17:7, 87Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7‑8)), what should be done to the people who were as a dry tree, morally dead before God, without fruit or even leaves, and who were now committing their crowning sin in the rejection of their Messiah? For such a state, symbolized by a dry tree, there remained nothing but the ax and the fire (Compare Matt. 3:1010And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matthew 3:10).)