For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just talking about his own suffering; he's using a proverb to warn about the coming judgment on Jerusalem. If they're brutally treating him, the "green tree" full of life and innocence, imagine the devastation that will fall upon the "dry tree" – the city and people ripe for judgment.
For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem, utters a proverb predicting severe judgment upon the city. He speaks metaphorically of a "green tree" (representing Himself, innocent and full of life) being subjected to harsh punishment, and asks what will happen to the "dry tree" (the guilty, corrupt people) when judgment falls. This foreshadows the terrible destruction that will soon come upon Jerusalem for its rejection of Him.
Jesus uses a striking, common saying to explain the gravity of His situation. What does the 'green tree' represent, and why is its suffering so significant?
Jesus likens Himself to a "green tree." In ancient understanding, a green tree is full of life, moisture, and potential. It's not the natural first choice for burning; dry wood is. When an innocent, vibrant life like Christ's is treated with such violence and injustice by the Roman authorities and the crowd, it signals a profound problem.
This isn't just about Jesus' personal suffering. It's a sign that the natural order of justice and the very fabric of society are breaking down. If the innocent can be so cruelly handled, it points to a deeper, more terrifying judgment that is coming for the guilty.
Jesus' proverb isn't just about His suffering; it's a prophetic warning. What future event is He alluding to, and what does the 'dry tree' represent?
The 'dry tree' in Jesus' saying represents the corrupt, guilty, and spiritually dead. This refers directly to the Jewish leaders and the people who clamored for Jesus' crucifixion, and by extension, to a nation that had turned away from God.
If the Romans, acting under immense pressure and displaying horrifying injustice, can inflict such suffering on the innocent 'green tree' (Jesus), what unimaginable destruction awaits the 'dry tree' – those who are spiritually unprepared, guilty, and ripe for judgment? Jesus is prophetically pointing to the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jewish people, a devastating judgment that would be far more severe than even the crucifixion.
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Understand the original words
xylon chlōron · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphor for the state of a person or nation; 'green wood' implies vitality and life, while 'dry wood' implies deadness and ripeness for judgment or burning.
This verse uses a powerful proverb to speak of impending judgment. Jesus contrasts His own innocent suffering with the fate of the guilty nation. The "green tree" (Jesus, full of life) is cut down, foreshadowing the "dry tree" (the spiritually barren and rebellious nation of Israel) which will face far more severe judgment, a judgment that would ultimately come with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Crucified
Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate and crucified by Roman soldiers, a brutal act of execution even by Roman standards.
c. AD 30 - AD 70
Jewish Rebellions and Roman Retaliation
Following Jesus' death, tensions between Jewish factions and Roman rule simmered, leading to increasing unrest and violence.
AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire sweeps through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to scapegoat Christians, intensifying persecution.
c. AD 62-67
First Peter Written
The Apostle Peter writes his first epistle, referencing the concept of judgment beginning with the household of God, echoing Jesus' words.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman legions, under Titus, brutally sack Jerusalem and destroy the Second Temple, fulfilling Jesus' prophecies of judgment.
This passage directly parallels the idea that judgment begins with the righteous and asks what will be the fate of the unrighteous, echoing the sentiment of Luke 23:31 about a harsher fate awaiting the 'dry' or guilty.
Matthew 3:10John the Baptist's declaration that the axe is laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, connects the 'green tree' (fruitful/righteous) and 'dry tree' (barren/wicked) imagery to divine judgment.
Ezekiel 20:47This prophetic passage speaks of God setting a fire that will consume 'every green tree' and 'every dry tree' in the land, resonating with the imagery of judgment falling upon both the 'green' (innocent) and 'dry' (wicked).
Luke 21:23Jesus predicts a time of great distress upon Jerusalem and its people, a consequence of their actions, which directly relates to the idea that the 'green tree' (Jesus, though innocent) faces immense suffering, implying a greater doom for the 'dry' (the unrepentant nation).
pooleLuke 23:31: "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"
See Poole on "Luke 23:27"
vincentLuke 23:31: "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"
Tree (ξύλῳ)Originally wood, timber. In later Greek, a tree. Used of the cross by Peter, Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39; and 1 Peter 2:24. Compare Galatians 3:13.
Jesus isn't just talking about his own suffering; he's using a proverb to warn about the coming judgment on Jerusalem. If they're brutally treating him, the "green tree" full of life and innocence, imagine the devastation that will fall upon the "dry tree" – the city and people ripe for judgment.
Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem, utters a proverb predicting severe judgment upon the city. He speaks metaphorically of a "green tree" (representing Himself, innocent and full of life) being subjected to harsh punishment, and asks what will happen to the "dry tree" (the guilty, corrupt people) when judgment falls. This foreshadows the terrible destruction that will soon come upon Jerusalem for its rejection of Him.
Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem, utters a proverb predicting severe judgment upon the city. He speaks metaphorically of a "green tree" (representing Himself, innocent and full of life) being subjected to harsh punishment, and asks what will happen to the "dry tree" (the guilty, corrupt people) when judgment falls. This foreshadows the terrible destruction that will soon come upon Jerusalem for its rejection of Him.
"For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”" — Jesus isn't just talking about his own suffering; he's using a proverb to warn about the coming judgment on Jerusalem. If they're brutally treating him, the "green tree" full of life and innocence, i…
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Last reviewed October 2026