The Road To The Cross
Although as many as six hundred men were sent to arrest Jesus, only four soldiers carried out His actual execution.
It was customary for convicted criminals to carry their own cross to the place of execution. Since the entire cross weighed approximately 200-300 pounds, convicted criminals were only required to carry the crosspiece or patibulum, which weighed between 75-125 pounds.
The crosspiece was strapped to the victim’s shoulders, which distributed the weight to the lower neck + upper spine of Jesus.
Already devastated by the sleepless nights, miles of walking, hematidrosis, dehydration, the severe beatings, the violent scourging + physical torture, Jesus was eventually unable to carry His cross to the execution site.
Under Roman law a soldier had the right to require anyone to carry a burden as far as one mile. One of the soldiers randomly selected a man from the crowd by the name of Simon of Cyrene + forced him to help Jesus carry the cross (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26).
Not much is known about Simon, except that he came from Cyrene, which implies that he was an African + therefore probably black.
Tradition indicates that after carrying the cross, Simon became a believer. In fact, Scripture seems to support this because Mark identifies Simon as the father of Alexander + Rufus (Mark 15:21). Simon’s name actually gets mentioned in Matthew, Mark + Luke.
Later in Romans 16:13, Paul the Apostle greets a man named Rufus. Some believe that Mark assumed that his readers would be acquainted with Simon’s sons + that one of them may have been a part of the church in Rome.
It’s not difficult to imagine that his experience that day so moved him that he became a devoted follower of Jesus.
In fact, one unverified legend surrounding Simon of Cyrene has him being interviewed, in the aftermath of the crucifixion, about carrying Jesus’ cross. When he was asked about the difficulty of the assignment + the weight of the cross, legend has him responding, “I didn’t feel the weight of the cross for feeling the touch of His hand.”
Golgotha is Aramaic for “the place of the Skull.” The Latin is “calvaria” from which we get our English word Calvary. It was a small hill outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem that was used as an execution site for only the most wicked + heinous of criminals. It was the “termination zone for the most wicked + the worst.”[1]
It was probably called Golgotha not because of its physical shape, but because of the number of skulls that regularly littered the landscape.
This was the execution site for Jesus.
Just before nailing Him to the cross, someone attempted to give Jesus some cheap, sour wine to drink (Matthew 27:33-34; Mark 15:23). It may have been an act of mercy to help dull or numb the pain. Jesus refused to drink it. Upon tasting it, He spat it out. His mind was made up. He didn’t want His senses numbed.
He would suffer the full experience of all the pain—physical, mental, emotional + spiritual—that the cross could dish out. He would bear it all, so we wouldn’t have to.
Today’s Verse: Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene + the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. —Matthew 27:32 NLT
Today’s Prompt: Would you have been willing to help Jesus carry His cross?
Today’s Gratitude: I am grateful that Jesus had help—even if it was forced + small in comparison—in His greatest hour of need.
Today’s Prayer: Father, help me to be like Simon, where I am so enamored with the touch of Jesus’ hand upon me, that I don’t feel the weight of the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
[1] Leonard Sweet + Frank Viola, Jesus: A Theography, page 222.