a man of Cyrene, named Simon. Probably Simon was one of the pilgrims who had come up for the Feast of the Pasch, or he may have recently settled in Jerusalem. Cyrene, in Libya, was thickly populated by Jews. These Jews had a synagogue in Jerusalem, which shews their importance, and we find Jews from Cyrene mentioned as being present in Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles. They also took part in the martyrdom of St Stephen (cf. Acts vi. 9). Some were early converted to the truth, as we read that certain men of Cyrene spoke also to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus (Acts xi. 20). St Mark alone refers to Simon as the father of Rufus and Alexander, from which we may infer that these two men were well known to the Christian Church. St Paul, writing to the Corinthians, speaks of one Rufus, elect in the Lord.
him they forced, (τοῦτον ἠγγάρευσαν.) The soldiers laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene (St Luke). The word forced refers to impressed service for a monarch. Thus, of old, in England the corvée was in usage ; buildings were constructed and roads made free of expense to the king. The original word here translated forced is also used in St Mark (v. 41) : Whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two. It is derived from the Persian, and was adopted from it into Greek and Hebrew.
Cyrus organized a system of postal service by which mounted couriers were obliged to be in readiness at certain places, so that there should be no delay in carrying the royal despatches. These couriers were not paid, but were impressed for the royal service. From the use of the word forced, we may conclude that Simon did not render our Lord willing service.
to take up his cross. A tradition points out the spot outside the city walls where Simon took up the cross of Jesus. Some commentators have thought that Simon merely helped our Lord to carry the cross by relieving Him of part of the weight, but it seems more probable that Simon carried it alone, since St Luke says they laid the cross on Simon to carry after Jesus. In this case we can picture our Lord painfully toiling along the road, bearing round His neck the tablet, on which the cause of His condemnation was inscribed, while Simon followed.
33. they came. Jesus was led to Calvary by the soldiers, and there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him (St Luke).
As it was the Paschal season Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims, and the execution of the Great Prophet of Galilee would necessarily attract far more attention than that of an ordinary criminal.
St Matthew omits the incident of Jesus meeting the daughters of Jerusalem and His words to them (see St Luke xxiii. 28-30).
Note. — The “Stations of the Cross” is a Catholic devotion in memory of our Lord’s journey to Calvary. Some of the “Stations” are traditional, but this devotion has the sanction of the Church and is richly indulgenced.
the place that is called Golgotha. A Hebrew word meaning a skull. Calvary, from the Latin calvaria, also means a skull.
An ancient tradition asserts that the hill of Calvary lay north-west of Jerusalem between the city and Mount Scopus. The land here rises even higher than Jerusalem, so that the crosses could be seen from the city. The name seems to have been derived from the shape of this elevation, whch sloped gradually up from south to north, while the northern, western, and eastern sides were steep. The ground was rocky, and as executions took place here, it is probable that holes were already cut in the rocks to receive the crosses. The place of execution chosen was always either a thronged highway or some raised spot, so that the mob might the more easily mock at the crucified, and also that the sight of the criminals might inspire terror to the beholders. From Holy Scripture we gather that—
(а) Golgotha was without the gate (Heb. xiii. 12).
(b) nigh to the city (St John xix. 20).
(c) there was in the place where he was crucified a garden ; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man yet had been laid (St John xix. 41).
(d) It was close to the highway from “ the country."
A tradition that has found favour among mystic writers states that the cross of Jesus was reared over the sepulchre of Adam, and that it stood exactly over his skull. This is the origin of placing a skull and crossbones on crucifixes, just under the feet of the image of Christ.
34. wine to drink mingled with gall. St Mark reads, wine mingled with myrrh. It was customary to give the condemned strong narcotic drinks to deaden the pain. This practice was based on the advice of the mother of King Lamuel : Give strong drink to them that are sad, and wine to them that are grieved in mind (Prov. xxxi. 6). The Jewish Sanhedrin therefore ordered a grain of incense to be mixed with a cup of wine and given to the condemned in order to stupefy him, and a society of noble Jewish ladies undertook to provide this drink.
From the words of St Matthew, wine mingled with gall, a Lapide and other commentators have thought that the soldiers, in refinement of cruelty, threw gall (i.e. a kind of wormwood) into the myrrhed wine. Others think that St Matthew refers rather to the bitter taste which the myrrh gave to the wine. The wine used would have been the sour wine or posca, the common drink of the Roman soldiers. It was almost as sour as our vinegar.
when he had tasted, he would not drink. Jesus tasted it to shew that He appreciated the kindness of those who provided the beverage ; He refused to drink because He willed to suffer without any alleviation, and to drain to the dregs the chalice presented to Him by His Father.
35. after they had crucified him. Jesus having arrived at the place of execution, was stripped of His garments and nailed to the cross, which was probably the shape of the crucifix with which all Catholics are familiar, and on which there would have been space for the title.
The condemned was either laid upon his cross and fastened to it, or the cross was first erected, after which the prisoner was bound or nailed to it. It is generally thought that our Saviour, when on the cross, faced the west, and thus had His back to Jerusalem, as a sign of the rejection of Israel, and the calling of the Gentiles : I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their destruction (Jer. xviii. 17).
From St Mark we learn that Jesus was crucified at the third hour. This, strictly speaking, would be 9 o'clock, but the expression may refer to the whole period of time between 9 and 12 o'clock. The ancient tradition states that Jesus was crucified about noon, and that He expired at 3 o’clock.
they divided his garments. Four soldiers were told off for each prisoner. It was the custom for them to appropriate the clothes of the crucified. The guards of the two thieves also divided the clothes of their respective prisoners.
casting lots. From St John’s gospel we find that they cast lots for the coat, which was without seam, woven from the top throughout (xix. 23). The four parts were perhaps composed of the cloak or abba, undergarment, girdle, and sandals. To these four articles was added the seamless coat. From St John it appears that lots were cast only for the coat, while St Matthew and St Mark use “garments” in the plural, as though they settled the whole distribution by lottery, in order to avoid any disagreement among the four guards, each of whom would probably strive to get the best garment.
They divided my garments, etc. The quotation is from Ps. xxi. 19.
36. they sat and watched him. The soldiers kept guard, in relays, lest any of our Lord’s disciples should attempt to deliver Him from death. Josephus relates how he once took down three criminals from the cross, of whom one recovered (Vita, 75). The soldiers were thus witnesses that Christ actually died on the cross.
37. his cause written. This refers to the tablet recording the name, parentage, and cause of condemnation. It was placed on the upper part of the cross, over our Lord’s head. St Luke calls it superscription, and St John has title. The inscription was threefold —
(а) In Aramaic, the language of the people.
(b) In Greek, the most universally spoken language.
(c) In Latin, the language used by the Romans.
The Aramaic tongue is written from right to left, and on the tablet all these sentences are said to have been thus written. This tablet is still preserved in Rome, in the church of the Holy Cross.
“ Thus the three great languages of the ancient world— the languages of Culture (Greek), of Empire (Latin), and of Religion (Hebrew)— bore involuntary witness to Christ, and to the Royalty of Christ, and ‘ God reigned from the tree ’ (‘ Regnavit a ligno Deus,’ Ps. xcv. 10, ancient reading).”
This is Jesus the King of the Jews. All the Evangelists give the title in somewhat different form, but this is probably due to the fact that the “ cause ” or accusation was written in three different languages. The four given are —
(a) “ This is Jesus, the King of the Jews ” (St Matt.).
(b) “ The King of the Jews ” (St Mark).
(c) “ This is the King of the Jews ” (St Luke).
(d) “ Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews ” (St John).
The “ cause ” of our Lord’s condemnation is given by all four, and we note that not one contains any accusation. Jesus was crucified because He was “ the King of the Jews,” though they rejected Him. St Matthew and St John give the holy name Jesus. St John’s is probably the exact inscription, since he was an eye-witness of the Crucifixion. Moreover, the word “ Nazarenus ” can still be read on the tablet.
This title greatly displeased the Sanhedrin, as we learn from St John (xix. 21) : Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate : Write not, the king of the Jews, but that he said: I am the king of the Jews. Pilate refused, probably because he desired to annoy the chief priests, and also to assert his conviction that Christ was innocent ; besides, it was impossible to substitute any other “ cause ” of condemnation.
38. Then were crucified with him two thieves. They had been led with him to be put to death (St Luke). No mention is made of their condemnation. They may have been two of the seditious men of whom Barabbas was the chief. They were “robbers” rather than “thieves,” that is, members of a band of brigands and malefactors.
Tradition gives their names, Gistas and Dysmas ; the latter repented. Josephus, speaking of the difficulties which the governors of Judea experienced in restraining these bands of outlaws, relates how “ one Simon straggling about with the robbers .... burnt the palaces of Jericho,” and that “ Felix having caught the chief robber Eleazar, who for twenty years had wasted the country with fire and sword, sent him to Rome, and many others with him ” (Wars, ii. 6).
St Mark here calls attention to tbe fulfilment of a prophecy. Cf. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith : And with the wicked he was reputed. Jesus was placed in the centre, as though He were the greatest criminal. The two thieves are said to typify the Jews and the Gentiles.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
