The Green Tree

Recently as I was waking up these words popped into my mind: “If they do these things in the green tree, what shall they do in the dry?”

I recognized them as the words of Christ, but I didn’t recall the context. I lay there pondering what the import of the words could be. When I looked up the context of the quote, I found it came from Luke 23:26 – 48. Jesus actually spoke these words as he was carrying the cross to Calvary! I had had no idea.

He spoke the words to the women who were weeping and mourning for him. He told them not to weep for Him, but to weep for themselves and for their children because of the judgments that would befall them. If people will commit such atrocities and injustices when the Prince of Righteousness walks among them, what will they do when His godly influence and example are removed?

By rejecting their true King, Israel set itself up for the judgments of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the tribulation period. Injustices and atrocities were and will be exponentially multiplied upon those who wrongly treated Jesus and their offspring.

A teaching I had participated in the day before with Paul Singh asked us to consider the questions: How have I been betrayed? How do I betray others? How do I betray myself? How do I betray God? In our fallen condition, we usually sin against others, ourselves, and God when someone sins against us.

As I read this passage, I was overcome with Jesus’ response to “How have I been betrayed?” He did not betray others, himself, or God. He looked past His own suffering and foresaw the judgment that would come to those who were committing the sin—and to their descendants. He didn’t delight in that judgment. Within three verses, He is pleading, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Incredible! Astounding! Amazing!

If anyone had the right to be angry or enraged by how people were treating him, it was Jesus on His way to the cross and on the cross. He was fully human. As humans, we often interpret other’s actions as disrespect toward us, when in fact those actions may just be irresponsibility on their part. Evidently from this passage, Jesus was able to see that “IT’S NOT ABOUT ME” but “IT’S ABOUT THEM.”

Talk about disrespect. Jesus could have viewed this episode as being disrespected BIG TIME. But He viewed it as irresponsibility. They didn’t know what they were doing. And because they didn’t know, He paid the price, set an example, and showed leadership without condemning. Not merely without condemning, but actually providing the means of restoration. Amazing. Wow.

Here’s how Jesus was betrayed:
·Rulers sneered.
·Soldiers mocked.
·People stood looking on.
·A criminal blasphemed Him.
·Romans crucified Him between two criminals.

What did He do with His pain? He:
·focused on others (“weep for yourselves and your children”).
·asked God to forgive them.
·accepted the request of one criminal—granted salvation.
·committed His spirit into the hands of the Father.

As I was meditating on these ideas, I kept hearing the verse: “Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.” I didn’t remember the context of that, either. It is Hebrews 12:13.

“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

When I feel betrayed by someone, God wants me to consider this event in Jesus’ life. His example keeps me from growing weary and discouraged.

Thanks, Holy Spirit, for directing me to this passage to solidify the teaching I had heard. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it now!