Many years ago, a dear friend and second-Mother asked me an intriguing question. That question comes to my mind multiple times each year even to this moment. Paraphrased, the question would be something like:
"If you could hold a dinner party to talk with any ten people, living or dead, other than the obviously invited guests of Jesus and the disciples, who would you invite and why?"
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Dinner Guest #5: Simon of Cyrene
The Introduction
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort to Him. And they stripped Him and put a red cloak on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on Him, and took the reed and beat Him on the head. And after they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they compelled to carry His cross.
(Matthew 27:27-32)
Now the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. And they dressed Him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began saluting Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they repeatedly beat His head with a reed and spit on Him, and kneeling, they bowed down before Him. And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple cloak off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. And they compelled a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to carry His cross.
(Mark 15:16-21)
And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will. And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
(Luke 23:24-26)
The History
Cyrene, capitol of the Cyrenaica district, was located in the eastern region of modern Libya along the northern African coast. The city had been founded by Greeks around 630 BC. By the first century, Hellenistic (or Greek) Jews were living all around the known world including such cities as Tarsus (Turkey), Rome (Italy), Alexandria (Egypt), Damascus (Syria), and Cyrene (Libya).
"Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under the sun."
(Acts 2:5)
The time of Jesus' crucifixion was the high feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread. This was one of the three Jewish high feasts that God required Jewish men to make pilgrimages back to Jerusalem annually. (Exodus 23:14, 23:17, 34:23-24, Deuteronomy 16:16)
The Person
Simon of Cyrene is a one of the mysterious people mentioned only briefly but is named. Simon's primary identification is that of being from Cyrene. Having a common Jewish name and being from a distant land at the time of the Passover feast, it is very likely that Simon was of Jewish faith.
It is inconsequential speculation whether he was of ethnic Jewish lineage, of indigenous Cyrenian lineage, or of mixed heritage. What can be taken from the text is that he was subjected to Roman authority and oppression. A Roman citizen, regardless of ethnicity, would most likely have not been pressed into this manner of service.
To better understand why someone was needed to carry Jesus' cross, look at my post on A Crucifixion Examined.
Simon's secondary identification is that as being the father of two sons, Alexander and Rufus. The author Mark (writing on behalf of Peter) names them to his audience as if they should be well known.
Matthew 27:24 indicates that a riot was imminent. Mark 15:15 indicates there was a crowd of people. Luke 23:27 indicates a large crowd of men and women were present and even following Jesus as He was being taken to Golgotha.
The Conversation
These are the things I can think of now that I would want to ask and hear about from Simon of Cyrene:
+ With all of those other men following Jesus toward Golgotha, what about Simon, who was "coming from the country", made the soldiers select him to carry the cross for Jesus?
+ Had he been aware of Jesus before that moment?
+ Had he heard any of Jesus' words spoken in the hills, in the homes, in the synagogues, or in the temple?
+ Had he witnessed or heard about Jesus's miracles?
+ What were his thoughts as he carried that cross? What were his reflections of it afterward?
+ Was he able to speak with Jesus as they walked toward Golgotha? If so, what was said between them?
+ Did he remain and watch Jesus being crucified and die?
+ Did he know or come to know that Jesus was indeed the Son of God and Savior of the world? Was he among the Cyrenians mentioned in Acts 2:5-11 at Pentecost?
+ Why would have Alexander and Rufus been known to the Christian audience the gospel was originally written to? Was Simon's experience part of the reason?
The Why
Jesus tells us that we are to daily take up our cross and follow Him. (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)
Simon is singularly unique in being the only man in history to have taken up the burden of Jesus' cross.
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