Mark 15:21 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The soldiers press Simon of Cyrene, a passerby coming in from the country, into carrying Jesus' cross; Mark notes he is the father of Alexander and Rufus.
What Does Mark 15:21 Mean?
Weakened by the scourging, Jesus apparently cannot carry his crossbeam, so the soldiers requisition a passerby: Simon, from Cyrene in North Africa, in from the country for the feast. Mark names his sons, Alexander and Rufus, as men his first readers evidently knew.
Simon came to Jerusalem for Passover and walked into the center of redemption. A forced conscription became a family's story, and the warm greeting to Rufus in Romans 16:13 suggests how far it traveled. The cross has a way of turning interruptions into callings. Simon did in fact what every disciple is told to do, take up the cross and follow (Mark 8:34); walking behind Jesus, bearing his beam, he is a picture of us all.
Mark 15:21 in the Original Language
angareuo (ἀγγαρεύω), 'compel' -- to press into service, a term for Roman requisition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 15:21
What does Mark 15:21 mean?
The soldiers press Simon of Cyrene, a passerby coming in from the country, into carrying Jesus' cross; Mark notes he is the father of Alexander and Rufus.