When Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus…Encounters with Jesus

Today’s post in our series is by Alan Kearns who blogs at Devotional Treasure. Alan was one of the first Christian writers that I connected with on WordPress and he is a true inspiration.

“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. Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.” Mark 15:20-22 NASB

For many years I have been one who seeks to understand the stories I read in the Bible to the best of my ability. It is good to read and understand the words on the page, but I have become fond of meditating on the stories trying to experience what actually happened on the day in the story.

If in your imagination you can hear the sounds, smell the air, feel the heat of the day and the crush of a crowd seeking to see Jesus, the words have a more vibrant life in your heart. This is the experience I had with the first Bible story that grabbed my attention in this manner; I am talking of the story of Simon of Cyrene found in our text today.

Cyrene was a North African city which is now Tripoli in Libya. It had a large population of Helenistic Jews who spoke Greek, but still held to their forefathers faith. Cyrenian Jews would go on pilgrimage at least once in their life to Jerusalem. It was a ship journey across the Mediterranean of at least 900 miles, most likely to the port of Joppa. Including a days walk to Jerusalem the whole journey would have taken several weeks. One can only imagine the emotions of the pilgrims as they had their first view of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley.

Simon’s arrival in the city before Passover coincided with a lively procession, which carried him with the surging crowd. He would not just see the excited crowd but also Roman soldiers driving three prisoners through the streets, each carrying a heavy cross beam for crucifixion. As he gaped in horror at the scene he was grabbed by a soldier and forced to carry the cross beam for one of the prisoners, who had fallen under his burden exhausted. He staggered up hill behind the prisoner who said nothing, he looked unlike any prisoner that Simon had ever seen. They exited a city gate onto a hill where Simon was released from service, but he felt he could not leave. There was something about this man before him that kept him there, he felt strangely disturbed as he watched the crucifixion of this stranger – “The King of the Jews.”

Simon was a family man, married with two sons (Alexander and Rufus). We know nothing of his ethnicity or of his trade. As a Cyrenian Jew he would attend the Synagogue of the Freedmen while in Jerusalem. Considering the length of the journey he would stay in Jerusalem for a while, He may have been one of the Cyrenians in attendance at Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts2). There is some possibility eventually Simon’s whole family came to faith in Christ (Romans 16:13).

As I read the scriptural account of the story, many questions come to my mind. Did Simon touch Jesus at the moment he was pressed into service to help Him? Surely he stayed and watched the crucifixion, and also heard His voice? Did Simon experience a spiritual transformation/awakening at that dreadful scene? Scripture certainly suggests that Simon and his whole family did become followers of Christ, and were active members of the young church.

Dear reader, I would encourage you to meditate upon the story of Simon. Take time over it, putting yourself in Simon’s shoes as he entered the city on that Friday. Alan