Matthew 27:32

The Crucifixion

27:32 As ¹  they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced ²  to carry his cross. ³ 

Luke 23:26

The Crucifixion

23:26 As ⁴  they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, ⁵  who was coming in from the country. ⁶  They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. ⁷ 

[27:32]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[27:32]  ² tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”

[27:32]  ³ sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon. Mark 15:21 names him as father of two people apparently known to Mark’s audience.

[23:26]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[23:26]  ⁵ sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help. Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon. Mark 15:21 names him as father of two people apparently known to Mark’s audience.

[23:26]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps, “was coming in from his field” outside the city (BDAG 15-16 s.v. ἀγρός 1).

[23:26]  ⁷ tn Grk “they placed the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.”