Jesus, Simon, & Cross Bearing

We read that Simon was a Cyrenian, from which we can infer that he was likely a Jewish man from the colony of Jews that were living at that time in what is today Libya. His plans to participate in the passover were suddenly interrupted when his path intersects with that of Jesus Christ. He was then compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. By carrying the cross of a condemned criminal he himself would be ceremonially unclean, which no doubt accounts for his reluctance. Here we have a picture of the willing Savior and the unwilling sinner. By nature, we are also reticent to bear the cross of Christ. Yet, cross bearing, is God's way of conforming us to the image of Christ. We learn by cross-bearing to be weaned from this world, and are made willing to walk in God's way after Christ.