What significance do the church fathers attribute to Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Christ?
score:3
From Thomas Aquinas Catena Aurea, an extract of Origen's comments (There are a number of sites hosting English Translations of the Catena Aurea on the internet. Here is one such):
Origen: Or, as they went out, they laid hold of Simon, but when they drew near to the place in which they would crucify Him, they laid the cross upon Him that He might bear it. Simon obtained not this office by chance, but was brought to the spot by God's providence, that he might be found worthy of mention in the Scriptures of the Gospel, and of the ministry of the cross of Christ. And it was not only meet that the Saviour should carry His cross, but meet also that we should take part therein, filling a carriage so beneficial to us. Yet would it not have so profited us to take it on us, as we have profited by His taking it upon Himself.
Also in the Catena Aurea, commentary from Venerable Bede (who translated a significant amount of the Church Fathers' writings in his day):
Bede: Or, since this Simon is not called a man a Jerusalem, but a Cyrenian, (for Cyrene is a city in Libya,) fitly is he taken to mean the nations of the Gentiles, which were once foreigners and strangers to the covenants, but now by obedience are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Whence also Simon is fitly interpreted ‘obedient’, and Cyrene ‘an heir’. But he is said to come from a country place, for a country place is called ‘pagos’ in Greek, wherefore those whom we see to be aliens from the city of God, we call pagans. Simon then coming out from the country carries the cross after Jesus, when the Gentile nations leaving pagan rights embrace obediently the footsteps of our Lord’s Passion.
While not exhaustive, this is a sampling of some of the Church Fathers' comments on Simon of Cyrene. These point to Simon's symbolic position as an example to believers to "pick up your cross and follow me."
More post
- 📝 Who signed the 1982 Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics?
- 📝 Where can I find Julia Smith's translation of the Septuagint?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for Jesus having one nature only, a human nature?
- 📝 Why do ancient Egyptian records make no mention of the Crossing of the Red Sea narrative?
- 📝 How do the LDS interpret Matthew 19:12?
- 📝 Do all Orthodox saints have their own akathist?
- 📝 Did Jesus abstain from all food and drink during his 40-day fast?
- 📝 Why did Jesus keep himself and the disciples hungry and thirsty on some occasions?
- 📝 Is Judas Iscariot ever depicted in religious art with one of those silver or gold coloured Halos?
- 📝 Immortal soul concept: afterlife and the sentence spoken to Adam (Catholic perspective)
- 📝 Is receiving the Holy Spirit the completion of Salvation?
- 📝 a/pre/post Millennialism summarised with bible verses?
- 📝 What teachings do all Catholic schools share?
- 📝 Can Orthodox Church members be extraordinary ministers in the Roman Catholic rite?
- 📝 Are Israel and the Church two different kingdoms?
- 📝 Did Jacob Arminius and/or the remonstrants believe they were in agreement with John Calvin?
- 📝 Does Papias’ vine statement impact on his reliability?
- 📝 Does the Trinity share one mind or are there three separate minds?
- 📝 How does the Orthodox Church view the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Does God shape your destiny by the genes you inherit?
- 📝 According to the Book of Mormon, D&C, Pearl of great price and/or prophets, what prohibits lust?
- 📝 Needing help locating a specific verse in the Bible about casting out bad influences?
- 📝 When does the obligation to attend Mass begin?
- 📝 Does God have free will?
- 📝 Is there any significance to the aside in Luke 23:12, regarding Pilate and Herod?
- 📝 Do baptists believe baptism did not pre-date Jesus Christ?
- 📝 Is it true that there is an inscription that says that Yahweh had a wife?
- 📝 How does the Westminster Confession address the paradox of the Bible canon?
- 📝 What is the biblical argument for eating meat, or that vegetarianism is possible but not commanded?
- 📝 According to proponents of creationism and intelligent design, are we clueless about the origin of life? James Tour vs. Dave Farina
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What significance do the church fathers attribute to Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Christ?
- 📝 What did the Early Church Fathers think about pets (animals) going to Heaven upon death?
- 📝 What did the early church fathers (pre-5th c.) teach with regards to the doctrine of baptism as a necessity for salvation?
- 📝 What did the fathers of the early church think of Tertullian?
- 📝 What did the early church fathers have to say about “eternal security” or “assurance of salvation”
- 📝 What arguments do the Church Fathers make for nocturnal emissions not being a sin?
- 📝 Death of animals before the fall - what did the early church fathers believe?
- 📝 What is the significance of a church being "consecrated"?
- 📝 What did the early Church Fathers (pre-Nicea A.D. 325) have to say about faith, baptism and if it is the act of baptism that saves?
- 📝 What was the general opinion of the Early Church Fathers concerning the giants/nephilims?
- 📝 What did the Early Church Fathers believe about the fate of the unreached?
- 📝 What did the early church fathers (pre-5th c.) teach with regards to baptismal regeneration?
- 📝 What are the most striking disagreements (if any) between the early Church Fathers of the second century?
- 📝 What were the views of the Church Fathers on Jews and Judaism during the Patristic Era?
- 📝 What did the Earliest Church Fathers teach about the Woman of Revelation 12?
- 📝 What is the Christological difference between the early Church fathers and the Arians?
- 📝 What does the Catholic Church teach about the significance of reference to Jacob's Well at John 4:12?
- 📝 What are the effects of the doctrine of Cessationism on the church for carrying out the "great commission" of Jesus?
- 📝 Did early church fathers understand the doctrine of trinity?
- 📝 What is the significance of Jesus seeing Nathanael under the fig tree?
- 📝 What is the significance of Noah, after the flood, getting drunk and cursing his son who saw him Naked?
- 📝 Did the early Church Fathers have a complete agreement on how to interpret 1 Peter 3:18-20?
- 📝 Did the Church Fathers advocate celibacy?
- 📝 Are there any writings from the church fathers teaching Original Sin before Augustine?
- 📝 What does the Catholic church teach about fate of non-Catholic christians?
- 📝 What does the Roman Catholic church teach about those who die having never heard of Christ?
- 📝 What does the LDS Church (Mormon) teach about marriage and polygamy in the afterlife?
- 📝 Why did so many early church fathers say that sex was a consequence of the Fall?
- 📝 What is the significance of "seventy times seven"?
- 📝 What is the significance of taking hold of the horns of the altar?