SIMON IS ME. I AM SIMON. Pt. 1

“As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry Christ’ cross.”

(Matthew 27:32)

Just six verses after the story of Barabbas, (of whom I previously alluded) Jesus comes face to face with another individual, who, in the waning hours of the Savior’s life, is compelled to carry His cross. 

There’s a wonderful old hymn by Ira Stanphil entitled, “Follow Me” and the first couple of lines aptly speak to the dire circumstance which confronted our Lord at this tenuous stage in His life.

“I traveled down a lonely road and no one seemed to care. The burden on my weary back had bowed me to despair…”

We all know ‘the rest of the story.’

Jesus arrived at the appointed place at the summit of Golgotha, willingly laid Himself down on the vertical wooden beam, and stretched His arms out, left and right, upon the horizontal beam. And without a moment’s notice a burly Roman soldier hammered a heavy nail into His feet, and another in each wrist. (The notion that the nails were driven into His hands is fictional, as the hands cannot support the weight of a man).

One of the most poignant admonitions in scripture may be found in the first Gospel.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”

(Matthew 16:24)

The cross was intended for one purpose, (and we’re not talking hanging it around one’s neck as an attractive piece of jewelry). But rather, it was used as a gruesome method of execution, and the product thereof was a slow and excruciating death. 

Simon of Cyrene was the physical embodiment of Christ’ spiritual admonition to take up His cross; (something akin to the lesson I drew out of Christ brief, but providential relationship with Barabbas).

And not unlike the phraseology I previously used with Barabbas,

…Simon is me. I am Simon.

What a sermon!

(to be continued) 


  By William McDonald, PhD. From (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 44. Copyright pending

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