John Gill Commentary Mark 15:21

"And they compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go [with them], that he might bear his cross." — Mark 15:21 (ASV)

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian
(See Gill on Matthew 27:32);

who passed by ;
as they were leading Jesus to be crucified:

coming out of the country ;
from some country village hard by, according to the Syriac, and Vulgate Latin versions; or out of the field, as the Persic and Ethiopic: he might have been in the field, about some rural business; or, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, to fetch wood from there, which was lawful to be done on a feast day, with some provisos, according to the Jewish canon, which runs thus {t};

``they may bring wood out of the field, (i.e. on a feast day, as this was,) of that which is gathered together, and out of a place that is fenced about, and even of that which is scattered abroad: what is a fenced place? whatever is near to a city, the words of R. Judah. R. Jose says, whatever they go into by a door, and even within the border of the sabbath.''

And according to the commentators ^F21 , it must be wood that is gathered together, and that lies not in an open field, but in a fenced place, and this near the city; at least within two thousand cubits, a sabbath day's journey.

The father of Alexander and Rufus ;
who were men well known when Mark wrote his Gospel, and very likely men of eminence among Christians: mention is made of Alexander in (Acts 19:33) and of Rufus, in (Romans 16:13) , which some have thought the same as here; but whether they are or not, is not certain: however, they obliged "Simon"

to bear his cross :
the cross of Christ, after him; (See Gill on Matthew 27:32).

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FOOTNOTES:

• F21: Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Yom Tob, c. 2. sect. 14.