Who carried the cross (was Re: Nancy)
Greg, Nancy, and James Todd todds@pa.net
Tue, 7 Apr 1998 20:28:34 -0400 (00892016914, 199804080028.UAA22789@emh1.pa.net)
>DAVE
>Now that Dave Court is back on the list you can repost your reply to him.
Awhile back you
>and him were discussing the conflicting gospel accounts concerning who
carried the cross
>to the place of crucifixion, Jesus or Cyrene. Mattheew 27:32, Mark 15:21
and Luke 23:26
>clearly revealed that Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus as
they lead him
>away. John 19:17 shows, however, that it was Jesus who bore his cross to
the place called
>Golgotha. David Court called your argument "weak" and challenged you to
prove that Jesus
>did not carry the cross at least part of the way before being relieved by
Cyrene. You
>reponded with a post that analyzed the Greek text in Luke 23:26 proving
your assertion
>that Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross as they lead Jesus away. Could
you repost
>that now for David Court's benefit? He disappeared after you posted it last
time and
>never replied to it. Thanks Nancy. I enjoy your posts by the way. Keep up
the good work.
>
>
>BRIDEAN
>Let me try a stupid suggestion. Since the Bible does not say either Jesus
>or Cyrene, perhaps Cyrene was forced to HELP Jesus carry the cross.
>Not carry it himself. So Jesus would still be carrying the cross the whole
>time, but would have Cyrene helping him part of the way.
>
>
NANCY
Brian, I am not sure what you mean when you say, "Since the Bible does not
say either Jesus or Cyrene, perhaps Cyrene was forced to HELP Jesus carry
the cross. Not carry it himself." The pertinent verses say:
As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they
pressed into service to carry his cross (MT27:32 NAB)
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in
from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. (MK
15:21 NAB)
As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was
coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him
carry it behind Jesus. (LK 23:26 NAB)
I think these verses state quite clearly and plainly that Simon the Cyrene
was forced to carry the cross for Jesus. Luke even says that Simon was made
to carry the cross *behind* Jesus. I don't see anything in any of these
verses that indicate that Simon was forced to *help* Jesus carry the cross.
These same verses, which state that Simon was pressed into service to carry
Jesus's cross, are contradicted by JN 19:17 (NAB) which says: [A]nd carrying
his own cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull .
. ."
I think this is a very clear contradiction, and attempts to harmonize the
differing accounts by saying that Jesus carried it part of the way and Simon
the other part are not only not supported by scripture, they are refuted by
scripture.
It was a common Roman practice for a condemned criminal to be forced to
carry his own cross (actually, only the "crossbar"), but if the criminal was
unable to do so, someone else would be pressed into service. The synoptics
paint a picture of a Jesus who was too weak from beatings and scourging to
carry his own cross, while John presents a Jesus who is strong and
triumphant, able to carry his own cross.
Nancy Todd
todds@pa.net