Mark 15:21

21 And they compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was passing by, coming from the country, to bear His cross.

Mark 15:21 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 15:21

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian
(See Gill on Matthew 27:32);

who passed by;
as they were leading Jesus to be crucified:

coming out of the country;
from some country village hard by, according to the Syriac, and Vulgate Latin versions; or out of the field, as the Persic and Ethiopic: he might have been in the field, about some rural business; or, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, to fetch wood from thence, which was lawful to be done on a feast day, with some provisos, according to the Jewish canon, which runs thus {t};

``they may bring wood out of the field, (i.e. on a feast day, as this was,) of that which is gathered together, and out of a place that is fenced about, and even of that which is scattered abroad: what is a fenced place? whatever is near to a city, the words of R. Judah. R. Jose says, whatever they go into by a door, and even within the border of the sabbath.''

And according to the commentators F21, it must be wood that is gathered together, and that lies not in an open field, but in a fenced place, and this near the city; at least with in two thousand cubits, a sabbath day's journey.

The father of Alexander and Rufus;
who were men well known when Mark wrote his Gospel, and very likely men of eminence among Christians: mention is made of Alexander in ( Acts 19:33 ) and of Rufus, in ( Romans 16:13 ) , which some have thought the same as here; but whether they are or not, is not certain: however, they obliged "Simon"

to bear his cross:
the cross of Christ, after him; (See Gill on Matthew 27:32).


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Misn. Betza, c. 4. sect. 2.
F21 Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Yom Tob, c. 2. sect. 14.

Mark 15:21 In-Context

19 And they smote Him on the head with a reed and spat upon Him and, bowing their knees, worshiped Him.
20 And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
21 And they compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was passing by, coming from the country, to bear His cross.
22 And they brought Him unto the place called Golgotha (which is, being interpreted, The Place of a Skull).
23 And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but He received it not.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.