Carry the Cross

Mark 15

January 25, 2013

Carry the Cross

Any time I read through the events of the trial, the verdict and the crucifixion of Jesus, I am transported.  It doesn’t matter which of the Gospels I’m reading from, I know I am still sitting on my couch, and yet I’m not.  Suddenly I am there in Jerusalem on such a deep level – mentally and emotionally.  I can’t help it.  Such is the power of this part of Jesus’ story.

So I have trouble focusing on just one aspect of this chapter.  Every section – every verse – adds a different observation – a different question – a different way I am pulled into these events that speak to my soul.

Yet this morning as I read it again, I took an extra pause at the one verse in particular.  It said: “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 like the rest of the Gospel recorded by Mark, he gets in, says his piece, and he gets out.  That’s all the details we get.  There was a man from Cyrene.  His name was Simon.  He is the father of two sons.  He is forced to carry the cross. Next.

But I can’t help but want more details.  Was this just a random choice by one of the soldiers on the crucifixion detail?  The need is clear enough.  Jesus was already bloodied and battered.  Although we know Him to be the Son of God come in human flesh, it was indeed human flesh that had been flogged.  The loss of blood left him weakened to a level I have never experienced.  So he could no longer make it up to the “place of the skull” – carrying that heavy load.  Who was going to carry that cross piece the rest of the way?  The soldier?  No way. So he points to a man in the crowd and says: “You there.  Yes you.  Pick up that cross and carry it – or else.” And Simon from Cyrene knew he had little choice in the matter.

Suddenly he too was part of the story that we now call the passion of the Christ.  And wouldn’t you like to interview him?  Wouldn’t you like to ask questions like: What thoughts flooded your mind when the soldier pointed at you?  What were you thinking as you took the cross bar from the one they called Jesus?  Did Jesus say anything to you?  Did he look you in the eye?  What did it feel like to be in that procession – marching up to Golgotha?

My heart aches also for this man who is thrust into the account of Christ’s crucifixion.  But I can’t help but note one more detail.  He is the father of Alexander and Rufus.  And that quick detail has led so many to believe something else of great significance.  It seems extremely likely that this little add-on tells us that these two sons came to know Jesus on a much deeper level as well.  It would appear that these two boys, had grown up and become part of the community of followers of Jesus.  Otherwise, why give this odd detail?  In fact, why would you even know it, unless there were further discussions with Simon and his two sons? 

“Carry the cross,” said the soldier.  “if anyone would be my follower, they must deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow me,” says Jesus.  That’s what I want to do.  I want to be a part of that continuing story of lives that are transformed by a cross and the One who gave His life on it for all of us.