Mark 15:21 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Mark 15:21

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John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus left the city bearing his cross. He was led, probably with his hands bound, with a rope a rope round his neck– the experts tell us how it was so often done – led as a lamb to the slaughter, as Isaiah prophesied in that 53^rd chapter. But he couldn’t do it! He couldn’t proceed at the speed they desired. The procession would move at a crawl. So they compel Simon a Cyrenian to carry the cross. Why did Christ have his cross borne for him and no mention of the bandits, the thieves, who were executed with him having that aid? Because he had already endured so much. He had experienced those hours in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was ‘exceeding sorrowful unto death’; he had been abused and punched and ill-treated on multiple occasions; and he had been scourged, and an exhausted Lord and Saviour was made to bear bearing his cross, but he could not do it and they needed to solicit someone to carry it for him. That was the condition he was in. So they called upon one named Simon, a Cyrenian, who had come out of the country, all the records tell us in the Gospels. I imagine he was a very sturdy man and ‘they compel’ him – a word with a military ring to it. They conscripted a man, just as the military would do. The Roman commander presumably said, ‘This is much too slow; we can’t go at this pace. This man is exhausted.’ So they saw Simon, a powerful man, probably in fairly poor clothing. ‘You! Get under that cross!’ And with Christ presumably still at the front, then Simon the Cyrenian took the burden off him. It was unexpected. Obviously he was a Jew come for the Passover. But he wasn’t familiar with Christ. He didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t expect to be there, certainly not to be conscripted to carry the cross. But he was obviously known, because Mark names his sons: ‘Alexander and Rufus.’ It is thought that the Gospel of Mark was written in Rome for the use of Roman Christians, but the names are here because these sons are obviously known to the Christians in Rome. This is a great, authenticating point to readers. Through carrying that cross he came to Christ, and his family too were saved, and they are, in all probability, in the church at Rome.

Application

If you have come to Jesus Christ, this was no doubt your experience. One moment you were going in the opposite direction, with no intention of being involved. If you had moved in Christian circles, or had grown up in a Christian family, you may well have been a rebel. Or, perhaps you were a total outsider when you were first affected by the message of Christ. Suddenly you were compelled to listen to something you wouldn’t normally receive. The Holy Spirit moved and you felt your need and this message strikes you with a power and a force you have never had before. You reflect Simon – compelled in a different way by a Roman centurion to get under that cross. And of course it meant that he followed Christ. Rather literally, very close behind, hurrying the pace, doing as he was told. When we are first moved and our hearts are opened, we have got to hear about him. Whereas we wouldn’t have listened to a sermon, or read a Christian book, now we will, we are seeking, we are beginning to follow Christ. Simon heard the taunts that were hurled, and he asked, ‘Did this man claim to be the Son of God? Did he save and heal many people? Was he thought to be the expected Messiah, the deliverer?’ And he was learning, even as he carried that heavy cross. Then he heard the women weeping and Jesus Christ saying to them with great calm and compassion, ‘Weep not for me. Weep for yourselves,’ warning them for their souls. Then Christ was crucified, and Simon heard further taunts and he saw the bearing of the Son of God and his character, his whole department and, even in his suffering, he could see his love. He was doing this for others and this gave him all the gospel he needed to understand, the message of Christ. He heard the seven great statements from the cross, and they moved him to the core. Either there and then he became a disciple, a believer in Christ, or possibly as late as the day of Pentecost and Peter’s great sermon. But the steps of his experience reflect the experience of all of us.

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Mark 15:21 Commentary and Bible Study