What Did Jesus Mean?

Jesus had just been sentenced to death. As He is led out of the city to be crucified, women are weeping as they watch Him. He turns to them and tells them to weep not for Him, but for themselves, and warned of worse times to come. Then He said something very strange: "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"(Luke 23:31 KJV).

What did He mean. In the lesson I've been studying in my Sunday School quarterly, the author of the student book said perhaps it had to do with how we apply the Truth in our lives. Given the context of Luke 23, I doubt this interpretation. Normally that writer is pretty good, so perhaps he didn't look at the context before making that comment.

Jesus is saying that if people do the things they were doing, i.e. sentencing Him to death in a kangaroo court, and putting Him to death without just cause, what would people do to His followers when He is not around bodily? The argument is from the lesser to the greater. So if they treated our Lord this way, we will be treated much worse.

Are we ready? Are we prepared to suffer? Some say that Christians won't have to suffer. This is not true from Scripture, or from history (including current history).

18 "Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:18-24). This is the Truth. Let's expect it and live it.