Simon the Black Easter as Earthquake
The References: Mark 15:21 They compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Rufus and Alexander, to carry Christ’s cross.
Acts 13:1 There were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers, among whom was Simon who was called The Black.
The story that emerges:
The connections of this Simon touch Rome, Cyrene, Antioch, and Jerusalem. They pull together friends Paul knew in Rome and Antioch where Simon’s family hosted him, and produced evangelists from Cyrene who became leaders in Antioch.
These links technically belong in the category of conjecture, but the New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce raises them to “guesses with good foundations.”
Mark, addressing believers in Rome, was saying, “Yes, this Simon that you know, the father of Rufus and Alexander.” Paul refers to Rufus at the end of Romans, “Greetings to Rufus, and his mother and mine.” That leads Bruce to the guess that when Paul was in Antioch, he stayed with Simon and his family.
That was the Simon, the Cyrenian, who was “coming in from the country and forced to carry the cross of Jesus.”
Arriving at Golgotha, Simon witnessed all that took place at the crucifixion. He saw Jesus nailed to the wooden cross and read the sign, “Jesus, King of the Jews." He heard the wailing of the women and His friends from Galilee, the taunting of the Temple priests, and the cries from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Then he felt the tremors of the earthquake.
Simon’s acquaintance with Jesus from His baptism to His resurrection came from one of the disciples, perhaps Matthew or Mark or Peter. At some point it all came together and he received “the right to be born by the will of God as His child.”
His late appearance into the Passion Story singles out Simon as one who entered the city as total stranger to all the events of the week, only to have the sacred blood of the Savior on his own body and then on his heart.
It was a distinct honor to sit with him in heaven for our interview. He knew of my interest in his Good Friday experience but wanted to put the attention on Him whose cross he carried. I let him speak about what stood out of that most unexpected event.
“The earthquake. In fact, that cataclysm symbolized the whole experience.”
Novel, I observed. Not heard that one before. Would he please expand? And he did.
“What happens with an earthquake? Tectonic plates shift. Some rise out of the ground, others sink below. But both come into view for the first time—the old and the new. Isn’t that Easter? ‘The old has passed away and, behold, all things are made new.’ Now can you see where this is going?”
Yes, you have put forward an image that is a treasure of truths.
“But for me, remember, I was coming to it all with an expectation of Passover, so the image carries more than for you. After the Hebrews passed through the waters, Moses sang his paean of praise. In it he told how God, “in the greatness of His majesty would overthrow all His adversaries” (Exodus 15:7). That would not only be the idols of Egypt, but also the faithlessness of the Hebrew nation, and then idols of each one of us.
"For me, then, the Easter fulfillment carries Passover judgment before it points to new life. After all, think of the Easter phrases. How can you have new life unless we leave behind the old? How can we “live with Christ unless we first die to sin?” How can we “seek those things that are above” unless we cease seeking those things that are below? Those adversaries, our idols God wants to crush and then show us into His kingdom. Get it?”
Yes, I do. Great image, the earthquake and Easter.
“It can sound harsh to see that Easter calls for judgment before joy, but missing that is the recipe for a glib echo of platitudes. Sure, Easter tells us of the love and the power and the presence of God, but not until we know where we need to die. It is not harsh. We hear the tender voice of a loving Father who is kindly helping us to see things we need to cast off before we can take in the heights of his redeeming salvation.”
Thank you. Your image, your Passover faith, your humility all bring a brighter light to Easter.
“You are welcome. Now, my turn. I notice that your guest last week, Damaris, asked you a question. May I?”
OK. But there was a hesitation in that reply.
“Like Damaris, I want to put this back into your time and the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic. You have had an earthquake. Things have erupted to the surface. And we hear now as then, ‘Everything will be new. All things will be changed. The landscape will be different.’ OK, so what are the fault lines you are seeing?”
Hmmm. Now you are gettin’ to meddlin’.
“I know, but the exposed fault lines can define the paths ahead. The lockdowns may let you protect your self-preservation, your small worlds, and your material forms of security, but God still wants to crush His adversaries. The message must be more than about God’s love and care. Where are your idols, the wrongs of your societies? Do you not see new fault lines? New ways to live that will not fit the old normal? I can hear Isaiah saying, 'Are not these the fast God wants--to rebuild community and friendships; to remove obstacles that deny some food and health care; to expand your world to love and pray for refugees and slums; to reignite your legacy of sacrifice and service; and to seek God and His goodness first?'
Looking back from my perch, I can tell you that you have a long haul ahead of you, a future with severe aches and pains. The earthquake image can be your friend, even with its judgment. Those new lines can open you to the reshaping of the future that the resurrected Christ wants to do.”
Acts 13:1 There were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers, among whom was Simon who was called The Black.
The story that emerges:
The connections of this Simon touch Rome, Cyrene, Antioch, and Jerusalem. They pull together friends Paul knew in Rome and Antioch where Simon’s family hosted him, and produced evangelists from Cyrene who became leaders in Antioch.
These links technically belong in the category of conjecture, but the New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce raises them to “guesses with good foundations.”
Mark, addressing believers in Rome, was saying, “Yes, this Simon that you know, the father of Rufus and Alexander.” Paul refers to Rufus at the end of Romans, “Greetings to Rufus, and his mother and mine.” That leads Bruce to the guess that when Paul was in Antioch, he stayed with Simon and his family.
That was the Simon, the Cyrenian, who was “coming in from the country and forced to carry the cross of Jesus.”
Arriving at Golgotha, Simon witnessed all that took place at the crucifixion. He saw Jesus nailed to the wooden cross and read the sign, “Jesus, King of the Jews." He heard the wailing of the women and His friends from Galilee, the taunting of the Temple priests, and the cries from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Then he felt the tremors of the earthquake.
Simon’s acquaintance with Jesus from His baptism to His resurrection came from one of the disciples, perhaps Matthew or Mark or Peter. At some point it all came together and he received “the right to be born by the will of God as His child.”
His late appearance into the Passion Story singles out Simon as one who entered the city as total stranger to all the events of the week, only to have the sacred blood of the Savior on his own body and then on his heart.
It was a distinct honor to sit with him in heaven for our interview. He knew of my interest in his Good Friday experience but wanted to put the attention on Him whose cross he carried. I let him speak about what stood out of that most unexpected event.
“The earthquake. In fact, that cataclysm symbolized the whole experience.”
Novel, I observed. Not heard that one before. Would he please expand? And he did.
“What happens with an earthquake? Tectonic plates shift. Some rise out of the ground, others sink below. But both come into view for the first time—the old and the new. Isn’t that Easter? ‘The old has passed away and, behold, all things are made new.’ Now can you see where this is going?”
Yes, you have put forward an image that is a treasure of truths.
“But for me, remember, I was coming to it all with an expectation of Passover, so the image carries more than for you. After the Hebrews passed through the waters, Moses sang his paean of praise. In it he told how God, “in the greatness of His majesty would overthrow all His adversaries” (Exodus 15:7). That would not only be the idols of Egypt, but also the faithlessness of the Hebrew nation, and then idols of each one of us.
"For me, then, the Easter fulfillment carries Passover judgment before it points to new life. After all, think of the Easter phrases. How can you have new life unless we leave behind the old? How can we “live with Christ unless we first die to sin?” How can we “seek those things that are above” unless we cease seeking those things that are below? Those adversaries, our idols God wants to crush and then show us into His kingdom. Get it?”
Yes, I do. Great image, the earthquake and Easter.
“It can sound harsh to see that Easter calls for judgment before joy, but missing that is the recipe for a glib echo of platitudes. Sure, Easter tells us of the love and the power and the presence of God, but not until we know where we need to die. It is not harsh. We hear the tender voice of a loving Father who is kindly helping us to see things we need to cast off before we can take in the heights of his redeeming salvation.”
Thank you. Your image, your Passover faith, your humility all bring a brighter light to Easter.
“You are welcome. Now, my turn. I notice that your guest last week, Damaris, asked you a question. May I?”
OK. But there was a hesitation in that reply.
“Like Damaris, I want to put this back into your time and the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic. You have had an earthquake. Things have erupted to the surface. And we hear now as then, ‘Everything will be new. All things will be changed. The landscape will be different.’ OK, so what are the fault lines you are seeing?”
Hmmm. Now you are gettin’ to meddlin’.
“I know, but the exposed fault lines can define the paths ahead. The lockdowns may let you protect your self-preservation, your small worlds, and your material forms of security, but God still wants to crush His adversaries. The message must be more than about God’s love and care. Where are your idols, the wrongs of your societies? Do you not see new fault lines? New ways to live that will not fit the old normal? I can hear Isaiah saying, 'Are not these the fast God wants--to rebuild community and friendships; to remove obstacles that deny some food and health care; to expand your world to love and pray for refugees and slums; to reignite your legacy of sacrifice and service; and to seek God and His goodness first?'
Looking back from my perch, I can tell you that you have a long haul ahead of you, a future with severe aches and pains. The earthquake image can be your friend, even with its judgment. Those new lines can open you to the reshaping of the future that the resurrected Christ wants to do.”
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