Note 4 at Lk. 23:31: A green tree is healthy and full of life as opposed to a dry tree which is dead and withered. A green tree is very hard to burn while a dry tree burns very easily.

Jesus was saying that if these things were happening to Him, then how much worse would it be for those who were unjustly condemning Him. If an innocent person was being treated this way then how would the corrupt and guilty be treated? A parallel passage with similar meaning was spoken by the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 4:17 (see parallel scripture in Jn.'s column).