Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene (שמעון "Hearkening; listening", Standard Hebrew Šimʿon, Tiberian Hebrew Šimʿôn) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three Synoptic Gospels.[1][2][3]
- And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.[2]
His home town, Cyrene, Libya, was located in northern Africa. Cyrene, a Greek colony, also had a Jewish community where 100,000 Judean Jews had been forced to settle during the reign of Ptolemy Soter (323–285 BC) and was an early center of Christianity.
Cyrene was supposedly the destination of many "Sicari" dagger men who fled the Roman legions at the time of the Jewish Revolt. This was later to precipitate further Jewish insurrection in the area in the reign of Hadrian and Trajan.
The Cyrenian Jews had a synagogue in Jerusalem, where many went for annual feasts.[4] Tradition states his sons Rufus and Alexander became missionaries; the inclusion of their names in Mark 15:21 may suggest that they were of some standing in the Early Christian community at Rome. It has also been suggested that the Rufus mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13 is the son of Simon of Cyrene.[5] Some also link Simon himself with the "men of Cyrene" who preached the Gospel to the Greeks in Acts 11:20.[4] On the other hand, Simon's name does not prove he was Jewish, and Alexander and Rufus were both common names and may have referred to others.[6]
Simon's act of carrying the cross for Jesus is the fifth or seventh of the Stations of the Cross.[7] Some interpret the passage as indicating that Simon was chosen because he may have shown sympathy with Jesus.[4] Others point out that the text itself says nothing, that he had no choice, and that there is no basis to consider the carrying of the cross an act of sympathetic generosity.[6] The Passion of the Christ film portrays him as a Jew being forced by the Romans to carry the cross, who at first is unwilling, but as the journey to Mount Calvary continues, shows compassion to Jesus and helps him make it to the top.
According to some Gnostic traditions, Simon of Cyrene, by mistaken identity, suffered the events leading up to the crucifixion, and died on the cross instead of Jesus. This is the story presented in the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, although it is unclear whether Simon or another actually died on the cross.[8] This is part of a belief held by some Gnostics that Jesus was not of flesh, but only took on the appearance of flesh (see also Basilides, Irenaeus, and Swoon hypothesis).
A burial cave in Kidron Valley discovered in 1941 by E. L. Sukenik, belonging to Cyrenian Jews and dating before AD 70, was found to have an ossuary inscribed twice in Greek "Alexander Son of Simon." It cannot, however, be certain that this refers to the same person.[9][10]
Cyrenian movement
The Cyrenian or Simon movement, centered in the United Kingdom and Ireland, takes its name from Simon of Cyrene. It has as its guiding principle "sharing the burden" which it uses to explain its approach to providing services to homeless and other disadvantaged groups in society, often using volunteers.[11]
In popular culture
Poet Ridgely Torrence wrote a play about him titled Simon the Cyrenian. A 1920 YWCA production of this play was directed by Dora Cole, sister of composer Bob Cole, and starred Paul Robeson.[12]
"Simon the Cyrenian Speaks", a poem by Countee Cullen, Harlem Renaissance poet.
Christian singer Ray Boltz's song "Watch the Lamb" is about Simon of Cyrene's role in Christ's crucifixion.
The character of Simon of Cyrene appears in several films about the last day of Jesus:
- The King of Kings (1927; silent; played by William Boyd)[13]
- King of Kings (1961, played by Rafael Luis Calvo)[14]
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965, played by Sidney Poitier)[15]
- The Passion of the Christ (2004, played by Jarreth J. Merz)[16]
- Son of God (2014, played by Idrissa Sisco)
Simon of Cyrene is referenced in "The Son Avenger", final volume of Sigrid Undset's Medieval tetralogy "The Master of Hestviken". The protagonist – a deeply pious and upright man, who is tortured by an old unconfessed sin and regards himself as damned and cut off from God – feels great admiration for Simon of Cyrene and aspires to emulate him. In this version, Simon's act of sharing in bearing the cross is depicted as a completely voluntary, brave act of solidarity with the persecuted Christ.
References
- ↑ Mark 15:21–22
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matthew 27:32
- ↑ Luke 23:26
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 T.A. Bryant, compiler. Today's Dictionary of the Bible. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1982. Page 580.
- ↑ Walter W. Wessel. "Mark." In The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids: Regency (Zondervan), 1984. Page 778.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 D. A. Carson, "Matthew". In The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids: Regency (Zondervan), 1984. Page 575.
- ↑ The liturgy for the fifth Station of the Cross at catholic.org
- ↑ Willis Barnstone and Marvin Meyer, eds. The Gnostic Bible. Boston: Shambhala, 2002. Pages 465, 469-470.
- ↑ N. Avigad, "A Depository of Inscribed Ossuaries in the Kidron Valley," Israel Exploration Journal 12 [1962]: 1–12; cited in D. A. Carson, "Matthew". In The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids: Regency (Zondervan), 1984. Page 575.
- ↑ James H. Charlesworth (editor), Jesus and Archaeology, page 338 (Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006). ISBN 0-8028-4880-X
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Sheila Tully Boyle and Andrew Bunie. Paul Robeson: The Years of Promise and Achievement. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2001, p.89.
- ↑ William Boyd at IMDB
- ↑ Rafael Luis Calvo at IMDB
- ↑ Sidney Poitier at IMDB
- ↑ Jarreth J. Merz at IMDB
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