Chapter X.—Of the Method in Which We Can Reconcile the Statement Which is Made by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, to the Effect that Another Person Was Pressed into the Service of Carrying the Cross of Jesus, with that Given by John, Who Says that Jesus Bore It Himself.

37. Matthew, accordingly, goes on with his narrative in these terms: “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear His cross.”876    Matt. xxvii. 32. In like manner, Mark says: “And they led Him out to be crucified. And they compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross.”877    Mark xv. 20, 21. Luke’s version is also to this effect: “And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country; and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.”878    Luke xxiii. 26. [This probably implies that the afterpart of the cross was laid upon Simon, not the whole of it. This obviates the necessity for the explanation given by Augustin.—R.] On the other hand, John records the matter as follows: “And they took Jesus, and led Him away. And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha; where they crucified Him.”879    John xix. 16–18. From all this we understand that Jesus was carrying the cross Himself as He went forth into the place mentioned. But on the way the said Simon, who is named by the other three evangelists, was pressed into the service, and got the cross to carry for the rest of the course until the spot was reached. Thus we find that both circumstances really took place; namely, first the one noticed by John, and thereafter the one instanced by the other three.

CAPUT X. Quomodo non repugnet quod Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas angariatum dicunt, qui portaret ejus crucem; cum Joannes dicat quod eam Jesus ipse portaverit.

37. Sequitur ergo Matthaeus: «Exeuntes autem invenerunt hominem Cyrenaeum, nomine Simonem; hunc angariaverunt ut tolleret crucem ejus» (Matth. XXVII, 32). Marcus quoque: «Et educunt illum,» inquit, «ut crucifigerent eum. Et angariaverunt praetereuntem quempiam Simonem Cyrenaeum venientem de villa, patrem Alexandri et Rufi, ut tolleret crucem ejus» (Marc. XV, 20, 21). Hoc Lucas ita dicit: «Et cum ducerent eum, apprehenderunt Simonem quemdam Cyrenensem venientem de villa, et imposuerunt illi crucem portare post Jesum» (Luc. XXIII, 26). Joannes autem sic narrat: «Susceperunt autem Jesum, et eduxerunt: et bajulans sibi crucem exiit in eum qui dicitur Calvariae locum, hebraice Golgotha, ubi eum crucifixerunt» (Joan. XIX, 16-18). Unde intelligitur quod ipse sibi portabat crucem, cum exiret in locum memoratum. Simon autem ille in itinere angariatus est, de quo tres commemorant, cui postea data est crux portanda usque ad locum. Ita utrumque factum invenimus; primo id quod Joannes dixit, deinde quod caeteri tres.