Why the Cross

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. - Luke 23:26

Jesus had been delivered up by Pilate to the will of the Jews for his death. He bore in his body the marks of suffering after a Roman flogging. His physical body was weakened and opened as he was brutally despised and rejected by men. It was to be the cursed death by the cross, cursed is everyone who hung on a tree (Gal.3:13). He bore the cross for his inheritance, a people whom the Father loved to be holy and blameless in and through the Son, an inheritance who would worship him forevermore for his glorious grace. This glory was preceded by pain and sorrow, darkness and rejection, and unbelief and hatred because of the suffering and the cross that Jesus bore for the sins of his people. And in the midst of this mystery, the unfolding of God’s sovereign wisdom, power and goodness of putting the Son forward as an atoning substitute in sacrifice, there arrived on the scene an insignificant man from the country, Simon of Cyrene.

Simon arrived from North Africa for the Passover in Jerusalem. Mark tells us that he is the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mk.15:21). These sons may have been known to the early church when Mark wrote the gospel. Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13 as chosen in the Lord and his mother who had been a help to Paul in the ministry. However, we do not know if this is the same Rufus. However, as we look to Simon of Cyrene we see that he was seized and compelled by the Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus following behind him as they went to the place of the skull or Golgotha. This insignificant man from the country of North Africa was seeking glory in Jerusalem and instead found the cross.

Carrying the cross behind Jesus is the calling of all the insignificant ones chosen to follow Christ. I do not know if Simon was a follower of Christ or not but on this day he was in a way that all are who are called to follow Christ. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Lk.9:23). The glory that Jesus longed for to be restored to him (Jn.17:5) was restored through the way of the cross. And the glory that we as his image bearers long for will only be given to those who do not seek to save their lives in the earth, but who for the sake of the glory of Christ will lose it in following Jesus by the way of the cross.

Simon was given a particular cross to bear, Jesus’ cross. The followers of Jesus must follow him to his glory through the hill of death under his cross. The crosses we are called to bear are also the crosses of Jesus. They are his as they are given us by him. For everything is from him, through him and to him for his glory (Rom.11:36) and he is using it all for his own glory and our good (Rom.8:28-29). Therefore we must recognize that the crosses we bear are his way of extending more grace to more people. If Jesus sought to preserve his life in this earth we would not receive more grace. It was good for Jesus to take up his cross and do the Father’s will so that by his gift of grace we may know and enjoy him forever. The crosses that the church is called to bear are the extension of more of the sufferings of Christ that others may receive more of his grace. Paul says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings (crosses) for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church, (Col.1:24). We do not die under crosses to pay a ransom or debt for sinners. We cannot add to what Christ has done in redemption upon the cross. But we are called to die under crosses that more and more people may know the grace of the One, Jesus, who did pay their debt and ransom them from captivity to sin through the cross. Therefore, like Simon the crosses the church bears are Jesus’ crosses. The church is the body of Christ and the crosses she is called to carry, she carries in Christ. Christ loved his body through the cross and his body loves his body through the crosses she is called to bear as she follows him through the hill of death as she perseveres to glory.

It is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), and anyone who wishes to live a life of godliness will suffer (2 Tim.3:12). We are called to proclaim the excellencies of him who has bought us (1Pe.2:9), and if the world hated him when he proclaimed those excellencies in his words and deeds then why should be surprised when that same world hates his body? (Jn.15:18-19;1Pe.4:12-13). Following Jesus for the sake of his name in everything we do means his glory is first and foremost in all that we do, and living in this world that will be costly and crossly. May we be compelled by his grace to take his cross and follow him through the hill of death to his glory that more and more people may know the excellencies of him who is the Creator and Redeemer.

Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Jesus as he followed Jesus to the hill of death. If he remained on the scene he would hear the words and cries of Jesus as he finished the work he came to do. Maybe he to like the thief was born again that day and lived forevermore in Jesus carrying his cross that his wife, Rufus and Alexander would also know that same grace that saved him. We do not know. But we do know that like him we must take the crosses of Jesus and follow him that we and others may know him.