Newsletter April 2026

Carrying the cross

And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. (Mark 15:20-22)

     Simon is one of many characters in the Gospel narrative who appear on the scene and then disappear without any further mention. We know his name and his place of origin, Cyrene in North Africa, and that he was passing by, which indicates that he was not among those who had come to spectate. Yet it is he who is pulled out of the crowd by the soldiers and compelled to assist Jesus in carrying the cross. Nothing is said about how he felt; but we can only imagine the fear that would have overcome him. After all, he would have known that those who carried a cross were heading to Golgotha to be executed. We are not told either at what point he leaves the scene. Did he go all the way with Jesus? Did he become an eyewitness of the crucifixion? Did he understand who this man was and what was taking place? Was he, unintentionally, closer to Jesus in His death than those who had followed Him as disciples, but were now scattered just as the scriptures had foretold? (Zech. 13:7) Did he recognise God’s hand in this encounter, and did he become a believer as a result of it?

     A further detail in Mark’s account, which is not found in Matthew or Luke, provides a clue – the names of Simon’s sons, Rufus and Alexander. While several Alexanders are mentioned in the New Testament (not all favourably!) the name Rufus occurs in only one other place: the greetings to members of the church in Rome (Rom. 16:13), where Paul calls him chosen of the Lord. Was this Rufus perhaps Simon’s son? Was his closeness with the Saviour and with the apostle Paul a result of his father’s encounter with Jesus? Had Simon’s unsolicited “choice” as the one to carry the cross of Jesus brought him into a deep relationship that he was able to convey to the next generation?

     Sometimes we may feel that we are chosen for something that we have not asked for or desired, not perceiving the deeper revelation of Christ in our struggles. We may experience pain and suffering and wonder, “why me?” We may fail to recognise the Spirit of God working in our lives to bring us closer to Jesus. As Simon was just passing by and ended up sharing in the suffering of Jesus, while those who had pledged their loyalty ended up denying Him, so God may be calling us, through our trials,  to a deeper walk with Jesus.

     Having previously persecuted the followers of Jesus because he could not make sense of the Messiah’s suffering (Mark 8:31; Isaiah 53), Paul comes to know the power of the cross when he encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus. Through His death and subsequent resurrection, Jesus overcame the power of sin and death for us (1 Cor. 1:18; Col. 2:13-15). This is why Paul’s sole desire became to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. This is why Paul could say, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal. 2:20).

     Jesus’ call is today as it was during his time on earth, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”(Mark 8:34-38) Let us therefore determine to take up our cross and follow Jesus to the end.