In brief
Simon of Cyrene is a man passing by, whom Roman soldiers force to carry the cross of Jesus on the way to Golgotha. Matthew, Mark and Luke mention his name. Mark adds that he was coming in from the country and was the father of Alexander and Rufus, a sign that these two men were known to the first readers. Nothing else is said about him. We remember the cross carried behind Jesus and the meaning of the word follow.
What does the name Simon of Cyrene mean?
Simon is the Greek form of Simeon, generally linked to the Hebrew verb to hear. The Bible does not explain his name. The Gospels mainly specify his origin: he comes from Cyrene, a city on the north coast of Africa, today in Libya.
The story of Simon of Cyrene
A passerby on the road
Mark 15:21After Jesus has been flogged and mocked by the soldiers, he is led away to be crucified. On the road, they force a passerby coming in from the country, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry the cross of Jesus. He neither chose nor planned this moment.
Matthew's account
Matthew 27:32Matthew reports that as the soldiers go out of the city, they meet a man of Cyrene named Simon. They force him to carry the cross of Jesus. The account is brief: it shows a man pressed into service at the darkest moment in the history of salvation.
Behind Jesus
Luke 23:26Luke specifies that the cross is laid on Simon so that he carries it behind Jesus. This image recalls the words of Jesus about anyone who wants to follow him by taking up his cross. The passerby follows him, at first under compulsion, to the foot of Golgotha.
A well-known family
Mark 15:21Mark alone mentions Alexander and Rufus. This detail suggests that the two sons were known to the readers of the Gospel. In Romans 16:13, Paul greets a Rufus, chosen in the Lord, but the text does not say it is the same man.
What Simon of Cyrene teaches us
- God can put on our road a role we did not ask for.
- Carrying the cross behind Jesus is a strong picture of what it means to follow him.
- An act of forced service can become a precious memory in the history of salvation.
- The Gospels keep the names of humble men, proof that God forgets no one.
- Helping someone who suffers, even without having chosen to, is part of the Christian witness.
Key verses
The verse names Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, and says he was passing by, coming in from the country. Only Mark mentions his sons, which suggests they were known to the church.
Matthew speaks of a man of Cyrene named Simon, forced to carry the cross of Jesus. He places this detail in the account of the walk to Golgotha.
Luke says the cross is put on Simon so that he carries it behind Jesus. The wording recalls the Lord's call to follow him by carrying one's cross.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Simon of Cyrene in the Bible?
Simon of Cyrene was a man passing by, a native of Cyrene, forced by Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus. The first three Gospels mention him. Mark adds that he was the father of Alexander and Rufus.
What does the name Simon mean?
Simon is the Greek form of Simeon, generally linked to the Hebrew verb to hear. The Bible does not explain this name for Simon of Cyrene. The Gospels instead stress his origin, the city of Cyrene, and the cross he carries.
Where can I find the story of Simon of Cyrene in the Bible?
It is in Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:26. The account takes one verse in each of the three Gospels. It falls between the condemnation of Jesus by Pilate and his crucifixion at Golgotha.