Matthew 27 32

Matthew 27:32 kjv

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Matthew 27:32 nkjv

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

Matthew 27:32 niv

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.

Matthew 27:32 esv

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

Matthew 27:32 nlt

Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross.

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 32 Meaning

Matthew 27:32 describes a crucial moment in the procession to Golgotha, where the Roman soldiers, encountering Jesus too weak to continue bearing His cross, compelled a passerby, Simon from Cyrene, to carry it for Him. This act of forced service ensured the journey to crucifixion continued, alleviating Jesus' immediate physical burden and setting the scene for His ultimate sacrifice. It highlights the profound exhaustion of Christ due to His prior scourging and mistreatment, and introduces a seemingly random individual into the most sacred and agonizing journey in human history.

Matthew 27 32 Context

Matthew 27:32 occurs during the climax of Jesus' Passion narrative, following His condemnation by Pontius Pilate (Mt 27:11-26), the release of Barabbas, Jesus' severe scourging, and the soldiers' mockery (Mt 27:27-31). The Roman soldiers were leading Jesus from the Praetorium, likely through one of Jerusalem's city gates, to the crucifixion site outside the city walls, Golgotha. It was customary for the condemned to carry the patibulum (crossbeam) to the place of execution. However, Jesus was physically depleted from the preceding abuse. In this state of extreme weakness, the soldiers, needing to expedite the execution and ensure He reached the site, commandeered a bystander to fulfill the task. This seemingly random encounter is nestled within the pre-ordained journey to the cross, highlighting both Jesus' profound human suffering and the Roman authority that facilitated His death. Culturally, Roman rule allowed for impressment of citizens or residents for imperial service, including aiding executions. Simon, from Cyrene, was likely a Jewish pilgrim visiting Jerusalem for the Passover festival.

Matthew 27 32 Word analysis

• And as they came out (ἐξερχόμενοι, exerchomenoi): A present participle, indicating continuous action. They were in the process of leaving. Refers to the Roman guard leading Jesus out of the city, likely from a gate leading to the road towards Golgotha.
• they found (εὗρον, heuron): A simple Aorist indicative, denoting a specific discovery. This suggests a chance encounter rather than a pre-planned selection, yet it fulfills God's overarching purpose.
• a man (ἄνθρωπον, anthropon): Generic term for a person. It highlights the universality—it could have been anyone—yet it was this particular individual.
• of Cyrene (Κυρηναῖον, Kyrēnaion): Referring to a resident or person from Cyrene, a city in North Africa (modern Libya), where there was a significant Jewish diaspora community. His presence in Jerusalem likely indicates he was a pilgrim for Passover (cf. Acts 2:10). This also implies that a non-Jerusalemite, potentially a Jew from the diaspora, became involuntarily involved in this pivotal event.
• Simon by name (Σίμωνα ὀνόματι, Simōna onomati): A common Jewish name. Providing the name lends historical specificity to the account. His name also has echoes of Simon Peter, a prominent disciple, creating a subtle contrast between those who would deny and those who would, however unwillingly, serve.
• him they compelled (τοῦτον ἠγγάρευσαν, touton ēggareusan):
  • "him" (τοῦτον, touton): Direct object pronoun, emphasizing who was compelled.
  • "compelled" (ἠγγάρευσαν, ēggareusan): From the Greek verb aggareuō, meaning to forcibly press into service. This was a technical term for Roman governmental or military conscription (e.g., couriers or those to assist military duties). It indicates Simon had no choice; he was seized and made to comply, reflecting the absolute power of Roman authority. This word also appears in Mt 5:41 where Jesus instructs disciples to "go the second mile" if "compelled" for one.
• to bear (ἄραι, arai): Aorist infinitive, meaning "to lift up," "to take up," or "to carry." It refers to the physical act of taking hold of the cross and transporting it.
• his cross (τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, ton stauron autou):
  • "his cross": The specific cross designated for Jesus, likely the patibulum (the horizontal beam of the cross), which was commonly carried by the condemned. The vertical post often remained fixed at the execution site.
  • The burden Jesus initially carried, but was too weakened to continue, demonstrating the physical toll of the preceding ordeal.

Matthew 27 32 Bonus section

• Simon's Identity and Future: While the Gospels only state he was "from Cyrene," Mark 15:21 adds a significant detail: "the father of Alexander and Rufus." This implies that Simon or his family became known to the early Christian community, suggesting his encounter with Jesus, though involuntary, may have led to his and his family's conversion. Some scholars speculate that the "Rufus, chosen in the Lord" mentioned by Paul in Rom 16:13 might be Simon's son, which, if true, profoundly enriches the narrative.
• The Paradox of Compulsion: Simon's forced carrying of the cross stands in poignant contrast to Jesus' teaching in Mt 5:41, which uses the same Greek word (aggareuō): "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two." Simon was compelled to go one mile with Jesus' cross, yet he embodied the very principle of forced service Jesus described. This paradox underscores that even an unwilling act can be part of God's sovereign plan, demonstrating His capacity to use any circumstance or person to achieve His will.
• The "Cross" as Patibulum: As noted in the word analysis, it's widely understood that the condemned typically carried the crossbeam (patibulum), not the entire cross. The vertical post (stipes) was often permanently erected or brought separately to the execution site. This distinction highlights that while Jesus bore the immediate instruments of His suffering, the ultimate act of crucifixion required the completed structure.

Matthew 27 32 Commentary

Matthew 27:32 portrays the stark reality of Jesus' physical debilitation just before His crucifixion. His strength, drained by scourging and suffering, necessitates the Roman soldiers' pragmatic intervention: impressing Simon of Cyrene. Simon's role is involuntary, highlighting Roman dominance and the brutal expediency of the crucifixion. Yet, this forced act thrusts an ordinary man into an extraordinary moment, becoming an iconic symbol within Christianity. His unwilling participation ironically prefigures the "taking up one's cross" as a deliberate act of Christian discipleship (Mt 10:38; 16:24). While Simon was physically compelled for a short distance, Christians are called to a spiritual resolve to follow Christ through self-denial and suffering, understanding that His path included a burden He could not carry alone. This passage also subtly introduces a person from the diaspora, possibly a Jew or proselyte, implying the universality of the cross's reach beyond Jerusalem. It illustrates that even seemingly random or forced human actions can, through divine providence, serve the redemptive purposes of God.