Simon Commanded to Carry The Cross
June 24, 2019
Commentary
Jesus was led into the courtyard of the Governors’ official residence. They called together a “band” of Roman soldiers which were one tenth of a legion and that usually consisted of about six hundred men (v. 16). They put a purple robe on Jesus and made a crown out of thorns that would create a festering wound and jammed it on His head (v. 17). Then they proceeded to hit Him and spit on Him (vv. 18-19). After all of this they took the robe off Him and put His own clothes back on Him (v. 20).
Evidently they wanted Jesus to carry His own cross to the place of execution but He was so weak from what He had gone through that He was unable to carry it. So they made Simon, a Cyrenian, carry it (v. 21). His sons, Alexander and Rufus are mentioned here probably because they become well known later in the early church (Rom. 16:13). As a Cyrenian, he was from north Africa. Possibly he was a black man. Simon was there because of compulsion. He was pressed into service. No doubt he had come from that far off land for the Passover. Possibly he had scraped and saved for many years in order to come. No doubt this had been the ambition of a lifetime to eat one Passover in Jerusalem. Then this happened to him. At the moment Simon may have bitterly resented it. He may have hated the Romans, and hated this criminal whose cross he was being forced to carry.
Application
Do I go to church out of compulsion to know the Lord better or to impress others? It is very easy to do things because others are watching rather than a deep desire to get to know the Lord?
Mark 15:16– 23 (NET)
16 So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort. 17 They put a purple cloak on him and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. 20 When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
21 The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 22 They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”). 23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.