John Calvin Commentary Luke 23:31

"For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" — Luke 23:31 (ASV)

With the statement, If they do these things in the green tree (Luke 23:31), Christ confirms what He had previously declared: that His death will not go unpunished, and that the Jews—whose iniquity is ripe, or rather half-rotten—will not remain long in their present condition; and by a familiar comparison, He proves it is inevitable that the fire of divine wrath will immediately ignite and consume them. We know that dry wood is usually thrown into the fire first; but if what is moist and green is burned, much less will the dry ultimately be spared.

The phrase if they do may be understood indefinitely as if it is done,²⁶⁶ and the meaning will be: “If green wood is thrown into the fire prematurely, what, do you think, will become of what is dry and old?” Some, however, may prefer to view it as a comparison of humans with God, as if Christ had said: “Wicked men, who resemble dry wood, when they have despicably murdered the righteous, will find that their time is appointed by God. For how could those already destined for destruction escape the hand of the heavenly Judge, who for a time grants them such freedom against the good and innocent?”

Whichever of these ways you choose to interpret it, the general meaning is that the lamentation of the women is foolish if they do not also expect and dread the awful judgment of God hanging over the wicked. And whenever our mental distress from the bitterness of the cross becomes excessive, it is right to soothe it with this consolation: God, who now permits His own people to be unjustly oppressed, will not ultimately allow the wicked to escape punishment. If we were not sustained by this hope, we would inevitably sink under our afflictions.

Although it is the natural and more common practice to make a fire with dry wood rather than green wood, God follows a different order. While He allows tranquility and ease to the reprobate, He trains His own people through various afflictions. Therefore, their condition appears more wretched than that of others, if judged by present appearances. But this is a fitting remedy: if we patiently await the entire course of God's judgment. For then we will perceive that the wicked gain nothing by a short delay. When God has humbled His faithful servants through fatherly chastisements, He will rise with a drawn sword against those whose sins He seemed for a time to overlook.

²⁶⁶ “Pour si on fait ” ”