People of the Bible
Who Was Simon of Cyrene in the Bible?
Simon of Cyrene was the passerby compelled to carry Jesus' cross on the road to Calvary, an unexpected sharer in the Lord's suffering.
As Jesus, beaten and exhausted, struggled under the weight of the cross, the soldiers seized a man named Simon, from Cyrene in North Africa, and forced him to carry it. He had come to Jerusalem for the feast and found himself walking behind Jesus with the cross on his shoulders.
The Gospels name his sons, Alexander and Rufus, which suggests his family became known in the early church, hinting that this forced encounter turned into faith. A stranger pressed into service ended up bearing the cross of the Saviour.
Key verses
“And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.”Mark 15:21, King James Version
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”Matthew 16:24, King James Version
A key moment
A traveler in the crowd is suddenly pulled forward and made to shoulder the cross behind Jesus, walking the road to Calvary in the Saviour's steps.
What we learn
We learn that God can turn an unwanted interruption into a holy calling, and that following Jesus means literally taking up the cross and walking behind Him.
How Simon of Cyrene points to Jesus
Simon carried the very cross on which Jesus would die for him, a vivid image of what every disciple is called to do. What began as a burden forced upon a stranger became, it seems, the doorway to faith in the One he carried it for.
Common questions
Where is Simon of Cyrene in the Bible?
Matthew 27, Mark 15, and Luke 23.
What can we learn from Simon of Cyrene?
We learn that God can turn an unwanted interruption into a holy calling, and that following Jesus means literally taking up the cross and walking behind Him.
The same God who met Simon of Cyrene is near to you today. Step inside The Living Bread to read the Scriptures, pray, and walk with the family of God.