luke 23:26-31 now as they led him away, they laid hold of a certain man, simon a cyrenian, who was...

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Luke 23:26-31 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.

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Page 1: Luke 23:26-31 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

Luke 23:26-31

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.

Page 2: Luke 23:26-31 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

Luke 23:26-31But 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?” (NKJV).

Page 3: Luke 23:26-31 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

Luke 23:26-31But 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?” (NKJV).

“Days are Coming…”Of Hardship •

Persecution

Destruction of Jerusalem?Famine? • War?

Page 4: Luke 23:26-31 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

Luke 23:26-31But 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?” (NKJV).

“For if they do these things in the green

wood…” “…What will be done

in the dry?”

Page 5: Luke 23:26-31 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

What Does this Mean?

“Here the green wood represents Jesus, Himself, and the living grace He had come down to offer mankind. Dry wood is dead and readily burns. In this context, it represents the nation which rejected Christ. The question figuratively poses a proverb. If what these women were witnessing is done to the One representing spiritual life…what terrible destiny awaited the sinful guilty nation…who put to death the Son of God?”

(Colly Caldwell, Commentary on Luke 1292-93).

Jesus may indirectly represent the “green

wood,” but He speaks of what is done “in the green wood” not “to the green

wood.”

Page 6: Luke 23:26-31 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

What Does this Mean?

The figures of a “dry tree” and a “green tree” are used in different

ways in Scripture.

►The eunuch, unable to bear children may consider himself a “dry tree,” but if he was faithful to the Lord he would be blessed (Isa. 56:3-5).

►The “green tree” and “dry tree” can refer to the righteous and the wicked, who would both be affected by Babylon (Ezek. 20:47).

Page 7: Luke 23:26-31 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

What Does this Mean?

The figures of a “dry tree” and a “green tree” are used in different

ways in Scripture.

► In this sense it is like the fruitless tree. It will be cut down (Luke 3:7-9). Fruitless branches are pruned and

burned (John 15:1-6). Jesus cursed a fig tree as a figure of

Jerusalem’s fruitless service, which would soon be punished (Matt. 21:18-20).

Page 8: Luke 23:26-31 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

What Does this Mean?

The figures of a “dry tree” and a “green tree” are used in different

ways in Scripture.

►But, the “green tree” and “dry tree” can also refer to life conditions.

►The poor “dry tree” will be blessed while the prosperous “green tree” will be humbled (Ezek. 17:22-24).

Page 9: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

Jesus is talking about what is being done to Him “in the green wood,” and He warns that they

will see worse things “in the dry.”

►He seems to be talking about conditions of life as “green” even though they acted this way—and warns of life conditions He calls “dry” when things will be even worse.

Page 10: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

During the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD…

► Josephus records that the siege of the Roman commander Titus lasted from April to September during which 1,100,000 died and 97,000 were taken away captive (Wars 6.9.3).

►600,000 dead bodies were thrown from the gates, and within the city the bodies of the dead lay in heaps (Ibid. 5.13.7).

Page 11: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

During the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD…

►The lack of food led to fighting over every morsel of food, with the hungry forced to gnaw on leather straps and sandals for some sustenance (Ibid. 6.3.3).

►Some even killed nursing infants and cooked them for food (Ibid. 6.3.4).

Page 12: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

This likely has direct application to God’s judgment on Israel, but let’s consider some general applications

it may also have.►Our strength is small if adversity

leads us to fall (Prov. 24:10).►We often look at things different when

adversity comes (Ecc. 7:13-14).►Adversity often reveals who really

cares about us (Prov. 17:17). Will we love “at all times”?

Page 13: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

What if…►It was against the law to

assemble for worship?—Would I continue faithfully, or would it even impact my life?

►You could be beaten for teaching the truth about homosexuality, drinking, divorce, or false religion?—Would it threaten my safety at all?

Page 14: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

What if…►As parents, it became illegal to

teach your children about Jesus, spank them as the Bible teaches, or prevent them from doing things their friends do?—Would such laws change anything about how I raise my children?

Page 15: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

What if…►Our culture tried to force us to

dress like them, talk like them, act like them, or sin like them?—Would it even be evident that I was different?

Page 16: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

What if…►A brother or sister was

imprisoned for faith?—Would I reach out to support them, or would I show them no more support than I do now?

►You could be killed for reading the Bible?—Would my life even be in danger at all?

Page 17: Luke 23:26-31 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

“What Will Be Done in the Dry?”

If we don’t do what we should when things are good—should we imagine we

will when things are tough?►All who are in Christ will suffer

persecution (2 Tim. 3:10-12).►Things often get worse in life (2 Tim.

3:13).►We must “continue” in faith (2 Tim. 3:14-

17).►Hardship leads to character (Rom. 5:3-5).►Our lives and our work are tested by the

fires of life (1 Cor. 3:11-15).