IX. SIMON, the Cyrenean. When Jesus Mat. xxvii. 32. Mark xv. 21.Christ went to Calvary, and was not able to bear the Weight of the Cross, the Soldiers found a Man who was a Native of Cyrene in Lybia, whose Name was Simon, and was Father of Alexander and Rufus, whom they compell’d to carry the Cross after Jesus; that is, to carry it whole and intire according to some; or only to carry one End of it along with Jesus. ‘Tis asked whether Simon was a Jew or a Pagan? Several Fathers have thought that he was a Gentile,1 and that he was a Type of that idolatrous People, that afterwards was to be call’d to the Profession of the Gospel, and to carry the Cross after Christ. Others2 hold that he was a Jew. The Latin Text of St. Mark intimates, that he was coming from a Farm near Jerusalem; and there were many Jews that dwelt at Cyrene in Lybia, of which Place he was. Some3 will have him to be the same as Simon surnamed Niger, mention’d in the Acts. If it were so, then we must readily acknowledge him to have been a Jew. There are those that believe he was Bishop of Bostres in Arabia, and that he ended his Life by Martyrdom, having been burnt alive by the Pagans. As to his Sons Alexander and Rufus, they have been spoken of under their proper Articles.
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