Simon of Cyrene and the Cross Christ Bore

Simon of Cyrene and the Cross Christ Bore Most of us are acquainted with the generally accepted teaching that Jesus appeared before Pilate, who later had Jesus scourged. After the scourging, the soldiers put the heavy cross on Him to carry to Calvary. Then, as the soldiers and Jesus approached Calvary, Jesus broke down under the burden of the cross so the soldiers pulled Simon of Cyrene out of the crowd and ordered him to carry the cross. Simon then carried the cross all the way to Calvary where the soldiers crucified Jesus. This teaching makes for a beautiful word-picture, colorful stained glass windows in churches and an absorbing story, but it is not true. To discover the accuracy of The Word regarding the cross Christ bore, let us consider separately each record in the Gospels, beginning with the Gospel of Matthew. We’ll pick up the account as Jesus stood in Pilate’s judgment hall, the Praetorium. Matthew 27:27-32: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers . And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him . And as they came out [of the hall], they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. As the group emerged from the judgment hall, they found a man at the entrance, and “him they compelled to bear his cross.” There is nothing in the Gospel of Matthew teaching that Christ even touched the wooden cross. Simon of Cyrene was compelled to bear the cross all the way to Calvary. Mark 15:16-21: And the soldiers led him [Jesus] away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call to