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No human being, or any other creature, can atone for our sins, that was the reason God himself appeared to take away our sins - 5.You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6.No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him - 1 John 3:5-6
That was the reason, the book of John says, Jesus Christ carried the cross to deliver us from the eternal hell - 13.When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14.Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15.But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” 16.Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away. 17.And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha - John 19:17
Then, how come other three gospel books, Matthew, Mark and Luke can say that Simon of Cyrene bore the cross? How come an ordinary sinful man can participate that is something Holy God must accomplish?
Earlier we have seen the differences between Book of John and other Gospel books, where the Gospel of John states that the mother of Jesus Christ was standing by the cross, but other three Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, declaring that "Mary, the mother of Jesus" not even present at the time of Christ crucifixion. Similarly, here, the Gospel of John states that the Lord carried his cross to Golgotha, but other three Gospels states that Simon of Cyrene carried the cross, Is there secret hiding behind this?
According to Gospel of Matthew, Simon of Cyrene carried the cross all the way to Golgotha where our Lord was crucified, The city of Cyrene is not a near by city, Cyrene is located about 1700 kilometers away from Jerusalem, and It would take about 20 days for someone to walk from there to Jerusalem, their language and customs are entirely different, then why would such a person come to Jerusalem? - 31.And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. 32.As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33.And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34.they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it - Matthew 27:31-34
Then the Gospel of Luke says that Simon of Cyrene carried the Lord's cross, and followed our Lord Jesus Christ - 25.He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. 26.And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27.And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him - Luke 23:26-27
The Gospel of Mark says that, this Simon of Cyrene had two sons, which explains that he was a well aged man, And when the story of Simon of Cyrene being forced to carry the cross is investigated by those in the field of psychology, it is the feeling that Simon of Cyrene expressed when he saw the wounds of the Lord [He must be uncontrollable or beating his chest with his bare hands] which made the soldiers to force him to carry the cross - 20.And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 21.And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22.And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23.And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24.And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take - Mark 15:20-24
Who could be that "Simon of Cyrene"? the prophecy says, when the son was sacrificed, the father also had to bear the burdens - So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him - Genesis 22:3
To fulfill the promise, the Father God who came as a Simon of Cyrene joined in Christ suffering and bore the cross for our Salvation, Otherwise, it should be said that Holy God Jesus and a Sinful man Simon of Cyrene bore the cross for our salvation, No that is not correct, the Simon of Cyrene is not an ordinary man, that is our Heavenly Father, these things are written to explain the great love of our Heavenly Father, who suffered along with his Son Jesus Christ for our Salvation.
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