Then they will begin "to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!'" For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?

 

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!"  Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

 

- Luke 23:26–31 

 

Yesterday we read that Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them,  "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.   

 

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  My study Bible comments that the name Simon means "obedience."  It says that this faithful man stands for all who desire to follow Christ and carry the cross Christ places on them (Luke 9:23, 14:27).  

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."  My study Bible states here that weeping is not appropriate for the One who redeems the world through the Cross, but it is rather suited for one's own sins and for the sufferings of others. 

 

 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!"  Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'  This blessing on the barren women is an acknowledgement of the overwhelming pain a mother endures at seeing her children suffer (which is illustrated by the "woe" in Matthew 24:19).  St. John Chrysostom writes, "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one she has borne?"  Jesus quotes from Hosea 10:8, tying these events to prophecy.

 

 "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  The green wood is understood to be Christ full of virtue and truth.  The dry stands for the religious leaders and those who follow who are barren of all lie and of all righteousness, my study Bible says.  Note that this also ties in with the themes of Hosea's prophecy, from which Jesus quotes in the previous verse, above, whose prophetic ministry focused on the faithlessness and infidelity of God's people.  My study Bible explains this saying with a question:  If the Romans eagerly destroy the righteous (and Pilate has declared three times he found no evil in Jesus), what horrifying things await the unrighteous?

Clearly there is a hint in the language here, and especially in the quotation from Hosea, that the terrible destruction and hardship to come to Jerusalem in the near future (that is, within a generation from this time in which Christ goes to the Cross) needs to be seen from the perspective of a people who have failed to receive the literal Word of God.  That is, similarly to the ways that the true prophets of Israel were rejected in their time, so it is now with Christ, the Son, who is sent from God (John 4:34).  This is the context in which we read the violence to come.  Jesus says, "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  He has clearly framed this statement to include Himself as a recipient of the violence which He sets out as on a continuum, within an extended period of time.  To compare the green wood to the dry is to compare healthy wood in a growing tree to one that has exhausted its life and lost its sap.  The violence that begins with His death on the Cross will extend to the "dry wood," that is, to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, in a fire which will engulf the city.  In this light, the "dry wood" analogy becomes even more profound and apt.  We might also consider this unruly mob who has called for Jesus' crucifixion, having been deliberately instigated by those who want Jesus dead, who shout with loud voices that it is Barabbas who should be freed.  We can compare it to the Roman soldiers who will lay siege to Jerusalem in 70 AD, who, although their commander wanted to preserve the splendid temple for his own purposes, in a paroxysm of passion destroyed not only the beautiful temple but the entire city down to its foundations.  In this viewpoint, Jesus indeed prophecies correctly regarding the violence to the green wood and its apogee in the dry.  If the Romans, represented chiefly by Pilate, but also by Herod, allow Christ to be crucified at the behest of this crowd although they know He is innocent, think what is to come in the extreme and chaotic heat of furious battle.  While we cannot say that bad things happen to people as a direct result of sin (certainly we know that Jesus will suffer and that He did not sin; see also John 9:1-4), we might also say that when spiritually we are being called in a particular direction, and we ignore that call, there may be events that happen in our lives which seek to pull us in the direction we need.  On the other hand, there are times when we absolutely know where a spiritual pull from God who loves us would like us to go, and we ignore that call for all kinds of other, bad reasons, such as selfishness, or the pursuit of false idols and passions.   In the case in today's reading, those who seek to persecute Christ know He is innocent of the charges they bring against Him, but in their quest for power, justice comes second, and truth comes last.  These religious leaders are also those who should know better than all others what the signs of the Messiah, the Christ, look like.  In Christ, the injustice is compounded, as He is not merely an Innocent, but One sent by God to heal and redeem, to love and to save.  Let us consider, therefore, Jesus' words regarding the green wood and the dry, and take them to heart.  It is remarkable how often simply going along with a crowd puts us in spiritual danger.  How far do we go down a road of injustice, when we know what we do is wrong, even if convenient?  Are there truths we will ignore or bend to "get along"?  Are there ways in which we ignore the pull of our prayer lives?  We move in a world in which spiritual forces play a role, although we do not see them.  Let us take it to heart that our choices do indeed make a difference, and an impact on the future.

 

 

 

If they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'   Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

- Luke 23:26-31

Yesterday we read that Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  My study bible says that Simon means "obedience."  It notes that this faithful man stands for all those who desire to follow Christ and to carry the cross Christ places on them (9:23; 14:27).

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."  My study bible remarks that weeping is not appropriate for the One who redeems the world through the Cross.  Rather, it is appropriate for one's own sins, and for the sufferings of others.

"For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'   Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "  This blessing on the barren women is an acknowledgement of the overwhelming pain of a mother who sees her children suffer (which is illustrated by the "woe" in Matthew 24:19).  Jesus quotes from Hosea 10:8.  John Chrysostom's comment is cited by my study bible here:  "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one who has borne?"

"For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  My study bible tells us that the green wood is Christ, who is full of virtue and truth.  But the dry will be the end result of bad leadership, barren of life and righteousness.   If at this time the Romans eagerly destroy the righteous, my study bible asks, what horrifying things await the unrighteous?

The green wood is wood recently cut, that still retains its moisture. St. Ephrem the Syrian comments on this passage that Christ is the green wood, cut down while it bore much fruit.  But the dry wood is the future of those without virtue, who would reject His spiritual gifts for themselves.  If even one who is found to be without sin is given crucifixion (see yesterday's reading, above, and Pilate's pronouncements), then what is to come in Jerusalem at the time when its siege will result in the burning of the temple and culminate in tremendous destruction and loss of life?  In chapter 3, John the Baptist warned, "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'  For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:7-9).  The image of the dry wood teaches us about a lack of spiritual fruit, and warns us about our own "dryness" when we are without moisture, keeping in mind that water is an image of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38).  If one such as Jesus, in whom no fault is found, may even be crucified, then what is to come to Jerusalem and the common people at the time of her siege?  Christ predicted quite well the wrath and passion in the midst of fighting, the uncontrolled slaughter and fire that was to come.  The fire that destroyed the temple, according to the Jewish-Roman historian Josephus, was inadvertent and unintended by the military leadership.  But the fury of the fighting meant that destruction of all kinds was extreme, senseless, even in some sense beyond measure.  No wonder Christ teaches the women to weep for themselves and for their children, and alludes to a time when it is the barren who are blessed.  In His love for Jerusalem, let us note, Christ never flags.  He is still trying to warn of things to come, even as He is led to the place of His crucifixion.  He knows where He goes, and weeps not for Himself, but for what is to come to those who will suffer for the blindness and lack of recognition "especially in this your day," of "the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42).  Isaiah writes, "The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace" (Isaiah 59:8).  Let us consider our own way, in a time filled with examples of ruthless passion (easily stirred through media), violence uncontrolled, selfishness unchecked by considerations of community, disaster which is possible under all kinds of circumstances -- and in the context of a world filled with weapons far greater and more powerful than those of the Romans.  We live with violence that is closer than we think, from the personal sphere, to our communities, and to that of the wider world.  At such a time, it is the things that make for our peace which become ever more precious.

Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'  Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

- Luke 23:26-31

In yesterday's reading, we were told that Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one of them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

  Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  My study bible tells us that Simon means "obedience."  It says that this faithful man stands for all who desire to follow Christ and carry the cross He places on them (see Luke 9:23, 14:27).

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."   My study bible says that weeping isn't appropriate for One who redeems the world through the Cross, but is suited for one's own sins and also for the suffering of others.  Here, Christ is warning then of the suffering to come in Jerusalem.

"For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'  Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "    A note tells us that this blessing on the barren women is an acknowledgement of the overwhelming pain felt by a mother when her children suffer (also illustrated by the "woe" in Matthew 24:19).   St. John Chrysostom says, "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one she has borne?"    Jesus quotes from Hosea 10:8, a prophesy of retribution for the sin of the people.

"For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  My study bible says that the green wood is Christ, full of virtue and truth.  The dry stands for the barrenness of Israel under its religious leadership of the time, those who are putting Him to death -- barren of life and of righteousness.  A note says, "If the Romans eagerly destroy the righteous, what horrifying things await the unrighteous?"    This statement is a statement about time:  the green wood means it's early yet and the beginning of what is to come, the dry is when Jerusalem  (most notably its gorgeous temple) will literally burn in the Siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Jesus goes toward His crucifixion, and still this is not the "end of the story."  There is so much happening, so much time for people to think, to repent, to understand what is happening.  Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus' cross for Him, and His family will go on to convert and become missionaries according to the tradition of the Church.  Jesus grieves not for Himself but for those who weep for Him and for their children.  Even as He has suffered and is weak, He is still trying to warn them of what is to come in Jerusalem.  This is still an attempt to save on His part.  The worst is what is to come, and now we have had several warnings by Jesus of what is going to happen within a generation in Jerusalem (approximately 40 years after this event).    Justice has been entirely perverted in the case of Jesus, but there is a different kind of "justice" that is coming, and that is in response to the refusal to "hear" the word, God's word.  Jesus has said Himself that all manner of sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, even that spoken against the Son of Man, but blasphemy against the Spirit stands (see Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-29).   It's important to understand a spiritual justice that stands as a kind of "fact" that we can't subvert without consequences.  There are universal laws that are, in effect, the work of the Holy Spirit, the truth of God.    We know we're called to love God and neighbor.  But do we understand how failure to do this results in problems in our own lives?  I think the great delay between this event and the prophesied destruction here that is coming tells us something about spiritual reality:  we don't see immediate results.  We must live by faith.  It won't be obvious how a "fall" happens to those who couldn't care and don't heed any kind of spiritual understanding.  But that doesn't make it false.  It means, still, that life by faith is asked of us, and that those who have "no ears to hear" will still not comprehend the light.  It's my opinion that this happens in all kinds of ways all around us, but we still need eyes to see and ears to hear to understand it, to truly observe.  To know the Spirit takes discernment, a prayerful heart, time spent learning and knowing God in honest personal prayer and heartfelt worship.  He always calls us to "Watch and pray."