Matthew 27:32

Matthew 27:32. Came out. From the city. Executions took place outside of the camp, here outside of the holy city. Numbers 15:35; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:56. This may have been the Roman custom also. As Pilate had no lictors, soldiers led our Lord forth; a centurion (Matthew 27:54) as usual headed the company. A herald generally went before the condemned person, but the Evangelists do not mention this.

A man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Mark (Mark 15:21): ‘who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus; ‘Luke: ‘coming out of the country.' Probably a Jew who had come to attend the Passover, as many of them lived in Cyrene (in African Libya), frequently coming to Jerusalem (comp. Acts 2:10; Acts 6:9). Some think he was chosen, because he was an African; others: because he was a slave, as one of this class would be considered fit for such a service; others: because he was a disciple; others still: because meeting the procession, he showed some sympathy for Jesus. The last is the likeliest supposition. As his sons were known in the early. Church, he probably became a Christian; but we know nothing more of him. Simon Peter was not there; Simon of Cyrene took his place.

Him they compelled, or ‘impressed' (comp. chap. Matthew 5:41), etc. Jesus at first bore His own cross (John 19:17), as was customary. The phrase ‘coming out of the country ‘suggests that Simon met the procession after the greater part of the way to Golgotha had been passed. Tradition says, that our Lord sunk to the ground beneath the load, but the more exact expression of Luke (‘that he might bear it after Jesus ‘) shows that the after part of the cross alone, which usually dragged upon the ground, was put upon Simon. Those who bear the cross after Jesus carry the lightest end. Another incident on the way is mentioned by Luke (Luke 23:27-31).