Who Helped Jesus Carry The Cross
In the fifth station, we see Simon of Cyrene, and he’s forced to helped Jesus carry the Cross.
And first, we might think that Simon plays this really relatively minor role in the crucifixion, in the story of the Cross, but I think for each of us, we Can see ourselves in Simon.
Now Simon would have been in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and to be covered in someone’s blood would disqualify him from being able to really enter into the Passover. He would become unclean.
So to think about this, Simon has traveled all this way to get to Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover, and he thinks because I’m bout to do this, not only have to carry this heavy Cross, help share in the burden of Jesus but I’m gonna be disallowed from celebrating the Passover.
And I think what happens as Simon’s carrying the Cross, he sees in Jesus a love that is striking.
And I don’t know about you, I don’t know about your story, but I think oftentimes when we encounter Jesus, it’s not something we’ve planned.
It’s not something we’ve laid out. You know there’s this old song I Found Jesus, but the reality is Jesus usually finds us.
And so Jesus has this encounter where Simon of Cyrene, Simon who thinks because Christ’s blood covers him, he’s not gonna be able to celebrate the Passover.
But as he’s carrying the Cross, as Jesus ultimately goes to be crucified, I think Simon starts to see the deeper reality.
That this blood that covers him, this blood that has now stained his clothing, has changed him forever.
And so today, I’d encourage you to think about how have those encounters that you’ve had with Christ changed your life—changed your heart? The moments unplanned, the moments where you experience God’s love and His grace.
And maybe you hear this Article, and you think I haven’t been Simon. I haven’t had that close encounter, that close touch with Jesus where His blood covered me.
That’s what this celebration is all about. That’s why we look at the stations across because we are called to be like Simon, to carry His Cross, to enter into the story that our lives might be changed forever, that Jesus’ blood might stain us. That our lives would look different.
So I just invite you to enter more deeply to the Cross. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You
because, by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.
Significance of Simon Carrying Jesus’s Cross
One Suggestion
Cyrene II describes Simon. It’s North Africa’s Libya today. We don’t know whether Simon was Jewish or Gentile, as Simon’s name was common among Jews and Greeks.
And We don’t know if he was visiting Jerusalem or if his home is where he lived.
We do know, however, that the gospel is notable for mentioning this man’s foreign heritage. Luke might suggest that African might be the case.
Two Suggestion
Luke claims that Simon was the one who carried the Cross for Jesus. It is mentioned in all other Gospels as heI just wore it. Luke asks us to remember Luke 9:23, where he said, “If anyone would follow me, let him deny his self, take up His cross and follow me.” Luke also suggests that this is an example of discipleship.
Three Suggestion
We can see that Luke was using this incident as a parable about discipleship. Could the fact Joseph was picked so unexpectedly to carry the heavy burden of the Cross.
And that the suffering that comes upon us in unplanned ways that are frightening, painful, and seemingly random.
Be Luke’s way for us to learn that we don’t always choose when we experience them? Simon’s selection seems almost random.
It just said he was coming from the field. The little extra note seems to suggest that this is random.
This lesson is that we should be prepared for every moment in our lives to serve Jesus in a painful manner, and we don’t know how soon.
Four Suggestion
Most people assume that Jesus demanded someone else carry his Cross. But, many don’t realize whether the soldiers who decided to send Simon to help were acting out of compassion.
Or cruelty or just expediency. I’m referring to the fact that he couldn’t carry his Cross; somebody had to. If they don’t, somebody’s going to be ticked right.
Five Suggestions
Luke is the only one who tells us that Jesus was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed in Luke 23 43, and an angel appeared to help him.
Hebrews 5 7 states that Jesus offered prayers and supplications to God to save him. His reverence and godly fear made him heard. He prayed to God for his salvation.
He was heard, and he died. I argued in an article on design God that Jesus was not saved from death by his cry.
He was a human being, and death could have discouraged him from obeying. He begged his father not to let death ruin me.
An angel appeared and helped him. He prayed that he would not die but that the horrors and pain of death wouldn’t discourage him from following his saving mission and obedience.
Simon’s intervention to assist Jesus at the Cross could have been a sign that Jesus is now in good health.
It was possible that an angel appeared at the right moment to help Jesus, who was humanly weak in the Garden of Gethsemane. He needed help to complete his mission. (Who Helped Jesus Carry The Cross)
Summery
- Simon, the number one, was a historical figure, and he was there in a historical moment.
- He was number two. He was an African, a foreigner who served Jesus in his last hour.
- The three carrying the Cross of Jesus behind them is a beautiful but painful illustration of our calling as disciples. It is what Luke 9 wethered Luke wanted us to see, for the call to suffering for Jesus is often unexpected and expensive.
- Four Simon’s assistance was both temporary relief and added suffering as it allowed Jesus to cross the Cross and endure the terrible experience of crucifixion.
- Five We know that Jesus cried to his Heavenly Father in Gethsemane asking for help. He wanted help so that he would obey. (Who Helped Jesus Carry The Cross)
