Who was Simon of Cyrene? | Cyrene in the Bible -

Simon of Cyrene is a very famous person. When people think about him, their first question is: Was Simon of Cyrene the man who carried Jesus’ cross? Indeed, he is the man who longed to return to Palestine and grow into the great man who had the cross shoulder to shoulder with Jesus.

According to historical accounts, Simon of Cyrene is the man who helped Jesus to carry His cross. He was born in North Africa, in what is called Libya nowadays. Cyrene was a Greek colony town with a diaspora Jewish community with its synagogue in distant Jerusalem. Simon grew up in a wealthy Jewish home. His father had trading connections in all the major cities on the Mediterranean coast, from Alexandria to mainland Greece. He often accompanied his father on business trips and was fascinated by Greek culture.

Simon was disappointed by many people and gradually gave up even regular visits to the temple because the holidays no longer meant anything to him. Often people’s religious forms did not correspond to his life. When his wife, whom he loved dearly, fell into the hands of the rebels and was executed by the Romans. This blow of fate drove him more and more into isolation. Only working in the vineyard in the field gave him variety and satisfaction.

Was Simon of Cyrene African?

We know from the Latin discussion that Simon was “dark.” Any tolerable individual would concur he was Jewish and could have existed named “Dark” just because of welcome looks. It could have existed called “Dark” just because

Research shows that Simon of Cyrene was an African. He was from a country in traditional northerly Africa (interlining Egypt) named Libya. According to Spirit of English Magazine Vol. 10, pg. 286; on obsolete occasions, Libya held two countries with its government, Cyrenaica and Marmarica.

By the present averages, things from North Africa manage perhaps be chosen, Black. In the New Testament, we concede the possibility of us being aware of the habit that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus devoted strength in Egypt.

Was Symon of Cyrene crucified?

The Gospel of John is said to have deleted any mention of Simon of Cyrene to distract attention from this “ambiguous” character, since in bearing the cross of Jesus, Simon showed himself to be another Jesus and lent himself a little too well to consider. On a possible confusion or substitution of identity. This esoteric thesis stems from a relatively ambiguous interpretation of Matthew’s version, where Simon of Cyrene would be given wine to drink and crucified.

According to some Gnostic currents, Simon of Cyrene was crucified in Jesus’ place. Some propose the following hypothesis to explain this disappearance of Simon from the Gospels: At the time of the writing of this Gospel, Gnostic currents had perhaps already begun to deny the crucifixion of Jesus (a central idea in early Christian heresy) and to claim that someone had died in his place on the cross.

“…They found a man from Cyrene named Simon and asked him to carry his cross. And they came to the Calvary, which is the place of Calvary. And they gave him to drink wine mixed with gall. Then they crucified him…”

Where is the Biblical place of Cyrene?

Found seventeen m. from the sea on a level, the city was decided by Gr. pilgrims. Under Battus, in the seventh more minor currency in exchange for larger. The town caught allure importance from discussion accompanying the residents of the inside and agribusiness. The land was unusually productive in producing silphium, a flavor people treasured as a political whole old. The five city societies of the Pentapolis cherished fantastic prospering as far as competition from the Ptolemaic city regions. Inside disturbances and ill-considered exercise of the soil fashioned ruling class decline.

Cyrene is located in Upper Libya, North Africa, and was settled by the responsibility of Greeks (B.C. 630). It held earlier a colossal number of Jews, the one we’re introduced into the city by Ptolemy. The youngster of Lagus, on account of the computed, would increase the protection of the spot.

They extended in number and impact, and we are respectively ready for the following remarks to the ruling class concerning the ancient times of Christianity.

What does Cyrene mean in the Bible?

Cyrene is located in North Africa on the northeastern Mediterranean shore of state-of-the-art Libya. It was settled about 630 B.C. as a Greek conclusion. It, and the setting it was in, Cyrenaica, was joined into the Roman region of Crete – Cyrenaica in 67 B.C.

In Bible, Cyrene means “unequaled characteristics of the harness.” So the occupants of Cyrene were in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in 30 A.D. when the Christian temple was understood (Acts 2:10). They were any of the many Jews freed through water that epoch the one transformed over entirely to Christianity. They were essential to spread the fact among the Gentiles (non-Jews, visualize Acts 11:19 – 21, 13:1).

It was a man from Cyrene, who chose Simon, the one who forced one Roman to assist in accompanying sending Jesus’ cross to Golgotha subsequently; he was excessively ineffective even in acknowledging achievement.

Why is the city of Cyrene important?

Generally pronounced to have settled apiece Greeks of Thera in 631BC, Cyrene in the Bible was a trading center initially busy apiece Battiadae custom, enhancing individual of the principal places of the Greek realm.

The city of Cyrene in Libya is important because it is the ultimate astonishing Greco-Roman spot on the sphere. Over the long haul, Cyrene in the Bible was subdued infrequently regarding, with the remainder of something, Alexander the Great, superior to being Romanised in 74BC.

Cyrene in the Bible’s rank and importance further developed under Roman rule and was renovated under Hadrian. Truth accepts the delivery of something; soon afterward, the great quake of 365AD and the neighborhood’s changeful atmosphere finally created the allure of ruin.

who is simon of cyrene

Ruins of the ancient city of Cyrene

What is Cyrene called today?

In the remains of Cyrene, search out be visualized the staying parts of any charming buildings. And I was referring to a specific number of figures that have happened removed. The most spellbinding remaining parts of the remarkable human progress. Concerning this, Greek responsibility is in a bizarre composition of funeral places. Few built, nevertheless highest in rank, interrupt the powerful gem of the bluff. Doric design and magnificent bedecking pieces improve these funeral places.

Cyrene, in the present-day, is called ” Shahhat” and is the capital of some extent domain, and earlier the city center of Libya in northern Africa, in the department immediately named Barca on the e. of Tripoli. It is now inconsolable, on a level 1800 ft. over the sea and 400 ms. to some extent of Jerusalem.

Cyrene in the Bible comes into importance in experiences through the unevenness of the Jews. Ptolemy I, the youth of Lagus, proposed Jews to this and various city districts of Libya.

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The fifth stop on the way to Golgotha

Tradition says that when the Lord, under the burden of the Cross, leaned on that spot, the imprint of His hand was imprinted in stone. Thus this stone touched by the Saviour remains on the wall to this day. The episode is recalled by the inscription above the entrance to the Franciscan chapel.

The fifth stop on the Way of the Cross is at the junction with El-Wadi Street, where the road curves sharply to the right and then continues with a series of steps.

According to tradition, it was here that Roman soldiers “forced a country passer-by, Simon the Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross” (Mark 15:21). The site is marked by a Franciscan chapel first erected in 1229 and rebuilt in 1895.

Primary Takeaways

Jesus had to suffer not only in spirit but also in His holy body. Being very weak because of the scourging that preceded this suffering, Jesus collapsed under the weight of the burden. Therefore the Romans called upon a stranger to help them carry the cross.
Simon the Cyrenean had just passed through the gate of Ephraim. On his way back to Jerusalem and home when, at a bend in the road, he came upon the terrible retinue of the three condemned to death. Who was on their way to Calvary that Easter Eve?
All the Synoptics report that on the way to Calvary, the hosts stopped a passer-by, Simon the Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as Mark tells us (Mark 15:21). And compelled him to carry the cross. Simon obeyed this command without opposition and took the cross. Followed Jesus to the place of supplication (Luke 23:26). It seems that Simon of Cyrene was later converted. In his Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul mentions a certain Rufus “chosen in the Lord” (Rom. 16, 13). If this Rufus was the son of the Cyrenean, it means that Simon’s deed had borne fruit for his kindred.

Conclusion

Simon of Cyrene had only come a few years from his native Cyrene to Jerusalem because of an inheritance. And he knew almost no one in the holy city, nor did he care to make new acquaintances. Or even interfere in public affairs. Field and home were his life, and he loved no one but his children.

Weighted by the thoughts that gave him no peace, Simon walked hurriedly under the great weight of the cross. And almost did not feel it, so great was his longing to reach the place of the spell more quickly. The footsteps and voices of men and women’s whispers and cries reached his ears. But he did not feel like turning back, much less learning the details of the damned. He had heard from some older men who were present when the crowd passed. That they were robbers, and he sought to know no more.