Moments of Inspiration

Meditations on the Master from
the Radio Ministry of Larry Branum

Who Carried the Cross?

            Consider carefully the following Scriptures. First, John 19:17. “Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).” Next, Matthew 27:32. “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.” Mark 15:21, reads as follows: “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.” And finally, Luke 23:26, says, “As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.”

            Some people, quick to try to find fault with the Bible, point to these verses and say, “See, there is a contradiction here. One verse says that Jesus carried his own cross, but three other writers say that Simon from Cyrene was forced to carry the cross for him.” Why people want to discredit the Scriptures like this is beyond me. There is no contradiction in these accounts. It should be obvious to us that Jesus started out carrying the cross himself, or at least the cross beam of the cross, which was the custom in Roman crucifixions. But Jesus was extremely weakened by the horrible beatings he had received, and the cross beam could weigh fifty pounds or more. Apparently, Jesus carried the cross for a distance, perhaps as far as from the Praetorium to the city gate on the way to Calvary, but could then carry it no farther. It may even be that he fell beneath the weight of it, though the Scripture nowhere says that he did.

            So when Jesus could carry the cross no farther, a man named Simon, who just happened to be coming into town from out in the country, was conscripted to carry the cross the rest of the way. We know nothing about this man except that he was from Cyrene, which was a city in North Africa (in what is now Libya), and that he had sons named Alexander and Rufus. It is likely that Simon was visiting in Jerusalem for the Passover, and his coming into the city coincided with the procession going out, and a Roman soldier just ordered him to pick up the cross and carry it behind Jesus.

            So the writers did not contradict each other. However, there are some interesting thoughts that come from these verses, some contrasts that come to mind. Consider them with me for a few moments.

            First, Simon was forced to do the job of carrying the cross, but Jesus volunteered to go to the cross. Remember that Jesus said, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17, 18). And do you recall that Jesus said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:53, 54). It is clear that Jesus was laying down his life, that he was going to the cross voluntarily. Simon was forced, but Jesus volunteered.

            Another interesting contrast is this: Simon only carried the cross, but Jesus carried our sins to the cross. First Peter 2:24, tells us, that Jesus “himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” As disciples of Jesus, we are called on for cross bearing. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). But bearing the cross of self-denial does not atone for sins. Like Simon, we may carry a cross, but only Jesus could carry our sins to the cross and make atonement for them.

            A third contrast that strikes me is this: Simon gave up a little time and effort, but Jesus gave up his life. We can appreciate the fact that Simon carried the cross for Jesus, even if he was forced to do it. But by comparison it wasn’t much: maybe a half hour of his time, and a little bit of exertion. What is that when contrasted to what Jesus did? He was laying down his life for Simon, though I’m sure Simon didn’t know that at the time. Perhaps he learned that truth later and became a Christian. Maybe he came to be very thankful that he had been forced to carry the cross, to do this little task, for the One who became his Savior and Lord.

            What about us? Jesus gave his life for us, shedding his blood to wash away our sins. Anything that we can do for him is puny by comparison. We acknowledge that we could never in a million years do anything to merit salvation, or put God in debt to us so that he owed us anything, even the smallest blessing, much less salvation. But if we love Jesus and are grateful for the gift of forgiveness, we should be glad to do whatever we can for him and for the great purpose for which he died and rose again.

            Ask yourself, “What am I doing for my Lord, who has done so much for me?”