Who Carried Jesus' Cross?

SIMON [SIME un] ([God] hears ) — the name of nine men in the New Testament:^[1]

“After a morning of inhuman suffering they led Him away to be crucified. Simon was from Cyrene in North Africa. He probably was attending the Passover in Jerusalem. It appears that he was picked out of the crowd by chance to help carry the cross. It is believed that Jesus carried the cross to the city gates.”^[2]

The Roman soldiers that day saw Jesus falling under the cross. Looking over the crowd they shouted, “Here!” to a big double-fisted fellow, Simon of Cyrene. “You come here and carry it.” And carry it he did—an act that has made him immortal. John Mark, writing to Rome, identifies Simon for them by adding, “the father of Alexander and Rufus”—all the saints at Rome would know Rufus because he was outstanding in the church.^[3]

Jesus started out for Golgotha carrying His own cross ( John 19:17 ), but along the way, the Roman soldiers took it from Him and drafted Simon to carry it. The word “compel” in v. 21 means “to impress into public service,” and the soldiers had the legal right to do this ( Matt. 5:41 ). When Mark wrote his Gospel, his readers would know Simon as “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (v. 21 ), well-known men in the church ( Rom. 16:13 ). Simon’s humiliating experience led to his own conversion and that of his family. He came to Jerusalem for Passover and met the Lamb of God!^[4]

Scripture Text: Mark 15:15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. 16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).

I believe that God heard and God saw that day when Jesus fell underneath the cross. He provided someone to help. He could have called ten thousand angels, but the Romans chose Simon of Cyrene. The soldiers called on Simon: Jesus calls on us. Will we carry the cross?

A light cross or a heavy cross? His cross was heavy with the sin of the world.

A shiny, beautiful cross or an rugged, ugly cross. It was a cruel sinful act that day.

An Easy, (padded) comfortable Cross or A Hard, painful Cross. It was his pain and our gain.

A Cross to rest on or A Cross to be nailed to and to die on. Once received he carried it.

The cross is given to you by the world it is not something you choose. Not my will be done. The cross is given to you because you have chosen the way of Jesus.

The Via Dolorosa. The way of suffering. This is the way of love and grace. The cross is the result of a life that is given in sacrifice for others.

The result of carrying the cross is everlasting life, a future hope, and a legacy that continues after you are gone from this earth. Alexander and Rufus were the sons of Simon who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and he saw the Lamb of God.

God needs no one, but He wants everyone one. Simon was chosen that day, but you are being asked today. Who will carry His cross? He says to pick up your cross and follow Him. But His cross will become your cross as you go the way of the cross. People will lay the scorn and suffering of the cross on you that they once laid on Him. Will you go the way of the Lord?

God enlists those who choose Him to carry on the mission becoming the living sacrifice to the world. Rom. 12:1-2 God is God alone, but He chooses us to carry His cross to the world. God wants you and me to bear the gospel on our backs of sacrificial giving and living. Would you carry yours?

Carry the cross patiently and with perfect submission and in the end it shall carry you.

My God, I have never thanked thee for my thorn. I have thanked thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross, but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Thou divine Love, whose human path has been perfected through sufferings, teach me the glory of my cross, teach me the value of my thorn.

Clarence Jordan, author of the "Cotton Patch" New Testament translation and founder of the interracial Koinonia farm in Americus, Georgia, was getting a red-carpet tour of another minister's church. With pride the minister pointed to the rich, imported pews and luxurious decorations. As they stepped outside, darkness was falling, and a spotlight shone on a huge cross atop the steeple.

"That cross alone cost us ten thousand dollars," the minister said with a satisfied smile.

"You got cheated," said Jordan. "Times were when Christians could get them for free."

-- Saint Theodore of Studios in Breakfast with the Saints. Christianity Today, Vol. 41, no. 4.

^[1]Youngblood, R. F. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary : An Authoritative One-Volume Reference Work on the Bible With Full Color Illustrations. Ed. F. Bruce. electronic ed. of the revised ed. of Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995.

^[2]McGee, J. V. Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981. Mk 15:21.

^[3]McGee, J. V. Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981. Ro 16:14.

^[4]Wiersbe, W. W. Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1997, c1992. Mk 15:1.

March 28, 2004 pm Who Carried Jesus’ Cross? Mark 15:15-22