Watch the Lamb
Read Mark 15:21-32
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. –Mark 15:21
Do you have a certain place on your “bucket list” where you’ve always wanted to travel? If you can imagine what it would feel like to finally visit that place, then perhaps you can imagine the feelings of anticipation that Simon of Cyrene had for his visit to Jerusalem.
Cyrene was a LONG way from Jerusalem—it was located along the northern coast of Africa in present-day Libya (see map above). The route to Jerusalem was somewhere around 1,000 miles long, and in the ancient world, the trip would have taken several weeks, perhaps even a whole month. It was the kind of trip you only did once in a lifetime.
So we can only imagine how it must have felt when a Roman soldier singled him out from the crowd and forced him to participate in a crucifixion. Under Roman law, any Roman soldier could compel an inhabitant to carry a burden for a distance of up to one mile. (Hence Jesus’ instruction, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two”—Matt 5:41.) Simon had no choice but to obey the soldier’s orders.
The Roman soldiers would have chosen the longest route possible from the Praetorium (Pilate’s palace) to Golgotha. The point of the crucifixion was to send a warning to the occupied people—this is what happens to those who stand against Rome. Four soldiers would have accompanied each criminal. Two soldiers on either side, one in the rear to force the condemned to keep moving, and a last soldier in front, who would have held a sign displaying the charges for which the criminal was condemned (this sign would then be posted atop their cross). This public procession had the effect of enlisting the populace in the punishment. They were expected to line the streets and shower the condemned with curses, and by so doing display their loyalty to the empire.
It is curious that Mark provides not only Simon’s name, but also the names of his two sons. Because of this, we may infer that Simon (or his sons) became recognized leaders within the early church. Some traditions link him to a leader of the Antioch church in Acts 13 named “Simeon called Niger.” (Niger means “black” in Latin, which likely indicates that he came from Africa, possibly Cyrene). Other traditions connect Simon’s son, Rufus, to the “Rufus” that Paul greets in his letter to the Romans (Rom 16:13).
If any of these conjectures is true, then that tells us something important. What could have been a horrific experience—the last thing that Simon wanted to do on his once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage—instead became a moment of lasting blessing. Simon had the honor of helping Jesus carry the cross. What Jesus did upon that cross—offering himself as an atonement for the sins of the world—was something only He could do. And yet how wonderful to think that even in this scene of terrible sacrifice, God allowed another to carry the cross for his Son. In this small way, Jesus was not alone. God provided someone to help shoulder the burden.
In the same way, we might remember that Jesus invited us to take up our own cross and follow him. We are not the Saviors of the world—the redemption of Creation is something only Jesus can accomplish. Yet we are invited to do our part: to carry our cross, to help shoulder Jesus’ burden, to imitate his surrender, and to share in his suffering, so that we might take part in his victory and exaltation someday.
As you reflect on the story of Simon of Cyrene, what burden for the world has God placed upon your heart? Is there a particular injustice or a particular people that God has asked you to carry? Simon had no choice about his part in Jesus’ drama. We, however, are given a choice whether to carry His cross or to run the other way. May God give us courage to bear the cross and to walk the way of love beside Jesus.
Like Simon, O God, I marvel at the suffering of Your Son. Like Simon, I willingly accept the invitation to help Him carry the burden of the world. Give me strength, O God, to carry the cross You have placed upon me. May the example of Your Son—and Simon—give me courage and hope to see this journey through. Amen.
**Each day of this Holy Week, I am suggesting a song for further reflection. I am unable to reflect on the story of Simon of Cyrene without thinking of Ray Boltz’ classic, “Watch the Lamb.”