In brief
Rufus appears twice in the New Testament. Mark presents him as one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene, the man forced to carry the cross of Jesus. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, greets a Rufus whom he calls chosen in the Lord, along with his mother, who has been a mother to Paul as well. They may be the same man, but the Bible does not say so. What we keep is how God forms a family of faith.
What does the name Rufus mean?
Rufus is a common Latin name meaning red, or red-haired. The Bible does not explain the name (Mark 15:21; Romans 16:13).
The story of Rufus
Simon forced to carry the cross
Mark 15:20-21After mocking Jesus, the soldiers lead him out to crucify him. They compel a passerby coming in from the country to carry his cross: Simon of Cyrene. Matthew and Luke also report this forced act. On the way to Golgotha, a man who had asked for nothing finds himself carrying the cross behind Jesus (Luke 23:26).
Father of Alexander and Rufus
Mark 15:21Mark is the only evangelist to specify that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. He names these two sons without introducing them, as if his readers already knew them; at least that is what many commentators think. The Bible does not say whether Rufus was present that day, or when he came to faith.
Greeted by Paul
Romans 16:13At the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes: greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who is also mine. This Rufus may be the son of Simon of Cyrene, but nothing allows us to say so with certainty. Paul honors him as a believer whom the Lord has chosen.
A mother to the apostle
Romans 16:13Paul adds that the mother of Rufus is also his own. In all likelihood this is not a blood tie: this woman cared for the apostle as a mother cares for her son. Paul, who endured many trials, found in this family a practical affection, a sign of the new family that Jesus creates in his church.
What Rufus teaches us
- The details in the Gospels remind us that the cross of Jesus touches real people and real families.
- Being recognized as chosen in the Lord is the finest title a believer can receive.
- In the church, believers become fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters to one another.
- A concrete gesture of affection can sustain a servant of God in a difficult ministry.
Key verses
The verse that presents Simon of Cyrene as the father of Alexander and Rufus: a detail unique to Mark, which ties the cross of Jesus to a specific family.
Paul greets Rufus as chosen in the Lord and honors his mother, whom he regards as his own. Brotherly affection in the church goes beyond the ties of blood.
Jesus promises those who have left everything for him that they will receive a hundredfold houses, brothers, sisters and mothers. The mother of Rufus illustrates this in Paul's life.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Rufus
- Psalm 145: Worshiping a King Who Is Great and Full of GoodnessThe preacher cites Paul's greeting to Rufus and his mother to show that passing on the faith is not limited to parents: the apostle himself had a spiritual mother.
- The People Before the Cross of JesusThe sermon notes that Mark presents Simon of Cyrene as the father of Alexander and Rufus, and links this Rufus to the one Paul greets in Romans 16:13.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Rufus in the Bible?
Rufus is named in Mark 15:21 as the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried the cross of Jesus, and the brother of Alexander. A Rufus is also greeted by Paul in Romans 16:13 as chosen in the Lord. They may be the same person, but the Bible does not say so.
Is the Rufus of Mark 15 the same as the one in Romans 16?
We cannot say for certain. Many think so, because Mark names Rufus as someone his readers seemed to know, and the church in Rome knew a respected Rufus. But Rufus was a common name at the time, and the Bible itself does not link the two passages.
Where can I find Rufus in the Bible?
Rufus appears in Mark 15:21, in the account of the crucifixion, and in Romans 16:13, in Paul's closing greetings. For the context, read the story of Simon of Cyrene in Mark 15, Matthew 27:32 and Luke 23:26, then the whole list in Romans 16.