Only Jesus could remove this burden of sin from us because He is God in the flesh (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9). Mark tells us that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Simon felt the weight of it upon his back and walked away with the blood of Christ still upon him, the blood that would shortly fulfill all prophecy and take away the sin of the world. Our God is holy and righteous, but we are not because we have broken His perfect laws.

Harrington A Lackey| We dont know. She could not determine which cross belonged to Jesus, so a terminal woman touched each cross until she placed her hand on the one that miraculously made her illness disappear. I mean, it would be very odd for Mark to put that in unless he expected his readers to know who Alexander and Rufus were. In an age inundated with entertainment, how do Christians stay awake to the glory of Christ and help others do the same? The good thiefs crossbeam measurements indicate that he weighed much less than previously thought, as do the stipes probably. All the other gospels include Simon of Cyrene as the reluctant man who helps Jesus on the way to Golgatha.

When we read the story of the crucifixion, we read a story with many details, each holding a special meaning. And he pleaded with his Father, Dont let death destroy me like that. And an angel came and helped him. You can go talk to him and ask him what it was like.. Simon could only go as fast and as far as Jesus went, and we know that Jesus was too weak to carry the cross on his own. God answered his prayers. We may never know what impact our daily sacrifice will have on others, perhaps an impact beyond our own time.

It's estimated that the stipes measured 250 cm long x 11.5 cm width x 11.5 cm high. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ! Then they drove a nail into his feet. In other words, death loomed in front of him. According to Dr. Pierre Barbet, first pioneering author of A doctor at Calvary: the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ described by a surgeon, the cross beam called pitabulum would have weighed about 125 pounds and the large upright pole, the stipes it would have weighed 250 pounds. In 15 short lessons you will learn Gods message for you in his Word. Register now for free and receive a new devotional every day to grow closer to God. https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Harrington_A_Lackey/1594833, http://ezinearticles.com/?Did-Jesus-Carry-His-Crossbeam-or-His-Entire-Cross?&id=9747747. The answer is that Jesus and the others to be crucified that day were going out from Jerusalem, as the crucifixion would happen outside of the city walls. Executions were usually performed every year in the same locations, which were very accessible to the public. Upon his arrival at Golgotha, the soldiers would have laid his crossbeam on the ground and fastened Jesus to it. According to Dr. Pierre Barbet, early groundbreaking author of A Doctor at Calvary: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ As Described by a Surgeon, the crossbeam called the pitabulum would have weighed about 125 pounds and the large vertical pole-the stipes would have weighed 250 pounds. Now, Jesus had been very badly beaten. Witnesses remarked that not only did she find Jesus cross in an area below Golgatha, but the crosses of the criminals. Jesus arms and hands were tied to the crossbeam. Why would that matter, and how would Mark know this? It would have to have been heavy for a person who had not been severely beaten, like Simon of Cyrene, to carry Jesus' crossbeam. We now offer a 100% free, Internet based Bible course. 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, Lessons Learned in a Mothers Bible Study, The Truth about Why Men Hate Going to Church, 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Pastor, 10 Things Everyone Should Know about the Methodist Church, 5 Ways Selfishness Shows Up in Society Today, Pentatonix Sings 'Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)' A Cappella, Good Night Prayers for Evening and Peaceful Sleep at Bedtime, 4 Areas Women Can Experience Freedom in Christ, An Important Lesson on Distraction from Mary and Martha, Yes, the World's Gone Crazy; Here's Why That's Good for the Church, Encouragement for the Special Needs Mom Struggling with Worry, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2022, Crosswalk.com. Now how does that work? John tells us only that Jesus carried the cross out of the city but doesnt include the events that happened after Jesus had left the city. And we just dont know when. However, for Jesus to have carried the entire cross-the stipes (vertical pole) and the pitabulum (cross beam) -would have weighed much less. And crucifixion victims badly weakened from scourging would not likely have been able to drag an entire 300-pound cross more than a few yards. We can learn a bit about Simon just by his name. Maybe it was just pure expediency: We got to get this man up there to get him crucified. Or it might have been a moment of compassion from one of the Roman soldiers. When Jesus and Simon arrived at the crucifixion site, the pitabulum and Jesus were placed on the ground. The only way out was for Jesus, who is perfect in every way, to become a perfect sacrifice and take upon Himself the sin of mankind. That is why they had to force Simon to help Jesus bear the burden. This type of cross is known as a T shaped tau cross. Isnt that amazing? (From an anonymous article, Why did Jesus carry the entire cross and not just the gallows). He was scourged with a whip that no doubt had pieces of sharp bone and perhaps metal attached to it (Matt 27.26; Mark 15.15). The journey would have encompassed about a half-mile of winding road, and it on this road that Simon encounters Jesus, and becomes a part of the story. It must have been a frightening moment: to be pulled from the crowd by hated Roman soldiers and told to bear the cross of a condemned man. Were on a mission to change that. In Luke 22:43, an angel came and helped him, sustained him, gave him strength. Weakened by the torture, scourging, humiliation and beatings, carrying even a crossbar would have been too much for Jesus. So, if Jesus bore a much lighter complete cross, it would have been the traditional "Latin" cross- a "t". Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. With this evidence, it is more likely that Jesus carried the entire cross, with the help of Simon of Cyrene, to the site of the crucifixion, validating the traditional artistic view of Jesus carrying the entire cross.

Im willing to make them as suggestions rather than pronouncements of certainties that I see. Yet we can be assured that our actions in following Christ will most certainly have an impact and will give life and meaning to those around us. Historians and anthropologists also inform us that during the time of Jesus, Jewish men averaged about five feet, seven inches in height. (Rent 861, Kindle). Later, they hoisted the whistle and Jesus on a wedge located in the middle of the stipes (stick) that had already been buried. Roman crucifixion in itself was not unusual but was a common practice of the Romans as a form of capital punishment and intimidation. Whats the significance of Simon carrying Jesuss cross? There are little things like that that cause people to say, Okay, this is an allusion to a man that everybody in the church knew. He had become something of a known person, and so you dont have to say anything about him. But what we may not think about as quickly is whether this act to get Simon to help was an act of compassion or cruelty or simple expediency. Carrying the cross behind Jesus is a beautiful and painful picture of our calling as disciples, according to Luke 9. 152 Articles, By The conflict between what we think we are supposed to believe and Saying 13, Jesus said to his disciples, Compare me to someone and Television's Late Night host-comedian Seth Meyers mocked ex-President Donald Trump, a 3 Steps to Reconstructing Faith from Christian Nationalism. This could be a lesson that every moment of our lives coming in from the country, we should be ready to be snatched into the service of Jesus in a painful way. While this is the only time he is mentioned in the Bible, it is important enough that he is mentioned by three of the four Gospel writers. Ive argued in an article at Desiring God that Jesus was saved from death in answer to his cry, not in the sense that he didnt die, but in the sense that he was saved from the faith-destroying powers of death. Powered by WordPress. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! The Codex Sinaiticus differs from the "modern" bible in 15,887 instances, some trivial, some ", TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian. The practice was to have a permanent stake on the ground with the victim to be crucified having to carry the crossbar on his back to the stake. But Jesus could not have carried a cross weighing 350 pounds. Supreme Court Upholds Coach's Public Prayers. | So, Jesus would have carried only the crossbeam. This article is part of our larger Holy Week and Easter resource library centered around the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through careful analysis of the biological and forensic evidence, we can learn about how Jesus suffered. The fact that he is of Cyrene tells us that he did not live in Jerusalem where this event takes place but had traveled there from his home. In my opinion, the Shroud of Turin is the famous, large cloth is the true linen in which the temporarily dead body of Christ lay for three days. Let me make some suggestions. Join 5000+ readers! For the sinless Jesus, much worse than the physical weight of the cross was the weight of the sin of mankind. We dont know why Simon specifically was selected for this task, other than the fact that he was there, he looked capable, and it was clear Jesus had become too weak to carry the cross on his own. It is also interesting that each of these three writers, in giving the same account of the same event, all give us the information a little bit differently than the others. Hes an African. The measurements of the good thief's crossbeam indicate that it weighed much less than previously thought, as probably did the stipes. (From an anonymous article, Why Jesus Carried the Whole Cross and Not Only the Patibulum.) What does God want us to see here?. That is why The Passion movie made Jesus ill-treatment with the whip lashes so gruesome.

And thats really all they are. Did they make an exception for Jesus and force Him to carry the whole cross? He was heard because of his reverence, his godly fear. He spends his free time hanging out with his family, exploring new places, and writing about the experiences. What Is Palm Sunday? He took the punishment we deserve and thus satisfied the requirement of the law that sin be punished (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24). We dont always choose the moment of our suffering. Today, using the latest computer technology, more evidence has surfaced that Jesus bore the entire cross by reexamining the Shroud of Turin, the tunic of Argenteuil and the good thief's cross. How is it, then, that historys most glorious moment is surrounded by fearful fishermen, despised tax collectors, marginalized women, feeble politicians, and traitorous friends? Crucifixion was considered too horrible a punishment for Roman citizens, as it was a miserable, humiliating, painful form of death. To make matters worse, Jesus arms and hands were tied to the cross beam. Does Luke want us to remember Luke 9:23, where he said, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me? I dont see really clear, decisive clues here or in any of the Gospels for why the Gospel writers include this fact. Third, if we think that Luke was pointing to this event as a parable of discipleship, like I just suggested, could the fact that Simon was chosen so suddenly and unexpectedly for the heavy task be Lukes way of teaching us that we dont always choose the moment of our cross bearing? The robe that Jesus wore for the crucifixion overlaid the markings on the Shroud. Most forms of media from early medieval paintings to modern movies show a fatigued, hunched over Jesus carrying the wooden cross to Golgatha (the place of the skull) where He was crucified. What he was praying was not that he wouldnt die, but that the horrors of suffering and death wouldnt deter him from his obedience and his saving mission. Thats an unusual piece of information. In Hebrews 5:7 it says, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.. Jason Soroskiis a homeschool dad and member of the worship team at matthias lot church in St. Charles, MO. It is a joyful day, even if it is the most solemn day in the church calendar. Then the Roman soldiers drove nails into his wrists. Second, Luke is the only one of the Gospels that says Simon carried the cross behind Jesus. This was really good for me to think about because Ive read that a hundred times and have not paused, like so many of these questions force me to do. Incredibly, the Bible never states that Jesus carried His own cross, except in the Book of John: Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha) (John 19:17, NIV). So, the total weight of Jesus' cross would be about 90 pounds. And Mark is sometimes associated with Peter as a Gospel writer, and Peter is associated with Rome, and in Romans 16, theres a man named Rufus. He prayed that God would save him from death and he was heard. It measures 180 cm long x 13 cm width x 13 cm high. This could have dislocated your shoulder. Fourth, I think most people would assume that demanding someone else to carry Jesuss cross means he was at the breaking point, too weak to finish the trek on his own. All rights reserved. It has also been speculated that Jesus had to carry the entire cross, because the dirty, used stipes, covered in blood and feces were taken out of their holes in the ground and stored. Diamond Author However, many scholars believe that Christ only carried the cross beam into which his wrists were nailed. The Shroud reveals evidence that Christs nose appears to be broken and his right cheek swollen, injuries consistent with one or more falls while holding the crossbeam for as long as he did. Victims crucified on a traditionally shaped cross were forced to carry only the crossbeam from the place of the official judgment to their place of execution, thus not the entire, traditional cross. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Luke 23:26, amid the crucifixion event, we read, And as they led [Jesus] away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. I know that God is sovereign, and therefore this was not an accident or a random detail added into the story. (Location 861, Kindle). Every good Christian is familiar with the story of the Passion of Jesus Christ. Did Jesus Carry His Crossbeam or His Entire Cross? And he was a human being. Contemporary historians often say that during that first century, the Romans crucified as many as tens of thousands of people per year.