And as they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon…Matthew 27:32 NASB
They found a man. Why didn’t those Romans carry it themselves when Jesus was no longer able to endure the weight of His cross? We know why. It would be unbecoming of a Roman soldier to carry such an undignified tool of punishment as a cross. It was reserved for losers – certainly not a Roman soldier. Are we not all like the Roman soldiers in this regard? Who would want to carry the instrument of a death sentence imposed upon another man?
So Simon of Cyrene was pressed into service. Did anyone ask him if he wanted to become involved? No. Simon was perhaps the first mortal ever to come face to face with the challenges of Christ’s cross. He was literally between a rock and a hard place, thrust into having to make a choice. Like Simon Peter earlier watching Jesus on trial, Simon of Cyrene had the opportunity of sorts to deny Jesus. He could have denied the Roman’s demand and probably die by the sword or he could spare his own life and carry Christ’s cross. Neither one a pleasant option.
Simon was in the wrong place at the wrong time, at least to our way of thinking. While he could do nothing about paying for his own sin, he was recruited into God’s plan for man’s salvation. As awkward and unwanted as it may be, cross bearing is life giving. His involvement was a menial task, unsolicited and unpleasant. Simon becomes representative of all cross bearing. Cross bearing means following Jesus…following Jesus means bearing a cross.
The hymn writer Thomas Shepherd poses a question in the title of his hymn, Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? Well, must He? Each of us has to answer that haunting question. As with the Roman soldiers, so too other matters present themselves to me as challenges to carry a cross…that cross. We’ll consider three of these challenges over the next three days.
“Lord, must You bear the cross alone? My humanity wants to say yes, but my heart now owned by You says, no. This is a hard battle within me. While only You were qualified and called to die there for me, cross bearing is something I am called to do. In a way, I even want to, but there is that resistance. Precious Jesus, overcome that resistance daily for me. Equip me for the cross you have called me to bear so that I would do so not complaining but as a witness to the power of Your love and to the display of Your glory.
